


Izuku of Ambiguity

by Hawkeyesprime (TNVMana), TNVMana



Category: Assassination Classroom, Gattaca (1997), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Adorable Midoriya Izuku, Angst, Animal Transformation, Character Death, Dadmic, Dadzawa, Doctor Who References, Fluff, Friendship, Gore, Humor, Implied/Referenced Suicide, MomMight, Monoma is crazy, Parental Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Parental Sir Nighteye, Parental Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Parental Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Suicide, TNV RP references, That Time Mana Got Drunk And Wrote A FIc, Underground Hero Yamada Hizashi, Villain Aizawa Shouta, Villain Nemuri Kayama, Villian Midoriya Izuku, dadmight, primemight
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 14:35:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 63
Words: 69,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14979236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TNVMana/pseuds/Hawkeyesprime, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TNVMana/pseuds/TNVMana
Summary: Small changes can make big ripples. One change can make a new branch on a child's life. Here's a few of them.





	1. TNV Izuku

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Little Deku Who Could](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 
  * Inspired by [Implacable](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14604633) by [orphan_account](https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account). 



There are quirks of all sorts in the world, and some are decidedly odd. But the truth is, in a world where superpowers are the norm, not all men are born equal. That too, is a truth that some children must reconcile themselves with from a young age.

 _“That’s pretty poetic of you, Mana!”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“Shut up, Sayuri!”_   
  
Izuku rolled his eyes as the voices in his head started bickering again. “Don’t the two of you ever sleep?” he grumbled.

 _“Not during tax season, we don’t!”_  Sayuri laughed.

_“It’s hard to be a hero and an accountant at the same time, but hey! We’re used to losing out on sleep!” Mana said, “You’ll learn that once you get into UA.”_

“If I ever get into UA.”  
  
_“I wish I could vocalize a keysmash here!”_  Sayuri shouted, _“Hey! Fennec! Help me out here!”_ _  
_ _  
_ _“What am I? Chopped liver?”_  Mana grumbled. _“Fennec is off duty, and shouting into the void doesn't work.”_

The teen rolled his eyes in the exasperated way that was default to all teenagers when dealing with adults. “Honestly. Of all quirks in existence…”  
  
Midoriya Izuku, aged 14, was the bearer of the Quirk “Force Multiplier” although in his head, he called it the Agency of Insanity. As far as Quirks go, it was a multifaceted quirk, and Izuku had only really displayed one form of it, what most believed to be a pseudo long range telepathic contact with a Hero Agency in Tokyo known for its destructive force and 100% case closing rate, Technically Not Villains. Not that Izuku ever specified which Agency, but he’d spewed enough legal jargon under the guidance of Mana, Zoom, and Willow, that most accepted the original idea at face value and accepted that he would not name names for security purposes.

The reality was very different. His quirk reached across time and space, mostly space, and drew on the consciousness and quirks of several heroes of rather… eccentric types. But because the Heroes refused to allow him to use any of their powers without training, there were plenty of people who believed he was quirkless and lying about it.

~~In a different world, Izuku really was quirkless, and was beaten down for it.~~

Of course, Izuku did have a quirk, and access to an entire Agency of Overprotective Heroes in the back of his mind too. Between tutelage under trained heroes, and being party to several missions (Mana had been horrified when Izuku’s quirk first manifested him in the opposite direction and he’d appeared in the hotel room where she’d lured a villain as a honeypot), Izuku developed the sort of contempt for his bullies that the educated and canny showed toward those flat-earthers; the generally, I can’t be bothered with your stupidity today attitude.

This had the unfortunate side-effect of infuriating further the people who thought Izuku was looking down on them, and Bakugou’s bullying got more violent, to the point where the Heroes of TNV began teaching Izuku how to defend himself. Even Mana’s rarely used Secondary Quirk, Barricade, became available to Izuku, and the greenette found Bakugou’s dumbfounded expression when the smoke and flare of the explosion faded to reveal Izuku was unscathed.

In many worlds, Izuku was a meek, terrified boy who lacked self worth, his mind, his spirit, and his body worn to the consistency of brittle dried spaghetti.

Here though, Izuku was a strong boy, one whose self-worth was built and rebuilt constantly by adults who had gone through bullying themselves and come through the other side a little odd, but for the better. This Izuku was soft velvet wrapped around a core of tempered steel.

* * *

 

TBC

 


	2. How TNVMana is tied to The Little Deku Who Could

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My name is TNV Mana
> 
> For those of you who did not join my discord, link active over on The Little Deku Who Could and also available in the end notes, you may not be aware of recent happenings. My email associated with my fanworks was hacked, and I had to take drastic measures to preserve what I could and abandoned what I couldn't.
> 
> I just wanted to let everyone know what had happened before I posted the next chapter, which will contain elements that readers of TLDWC would be familiar with.


	3. Boku no Ansatsu Academia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Izuku attended Kunugigaoka for middle school and landed himself in the assassination classroom, Class 3-E. 3-E, in a show of solidarity with their classmate who dreams of being a hero despite having a quirk thoroughly unsuitable for hero work, all take the Yuuei Entrance Exams together.

“PUT YOUR HANDS UP, PUT YOUR HANDS UUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!” The Voice Hero: Present Mic bawled from the stage. “LET’S ALL GIVE US A YYYYEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The auditorium was dead silent. Midoriya Izuku sat surrounded by his classmates, the only students from their school to be taking entrance exams in Yuuei. Of course, just because all twenty eight students from Kunugigaoka’s Class 3-E were taking the Entrance Exams didn’t mean they would all enter Yuuei. Most of them didn’t have the heavily combat orientated quirks that were practically required for heroics these days, and they had all split up to different centers for different courses. Nagisa, Sugino, Toka, Terasaka, and Kayano had all accompanied Izuku to the Heroics Course Exam. Today they would take the Yuuei Exam as a class. Tomorrow, they would take Shiketsu’s exam as a class. Some, like Nagisa, would go to civilian schools to pursue civilian careers. Others would attend the Heroics Academies to provide support for the ones that made it into the Heroics Courses and to watch each other’s backs. This was the lesson they were learning in the Assassination Classroom after all-that, and how to kill their homeroom teacher before he blew up the earth.

The Assassins-in-training leaned toward each other as the hero continued to outline the course, each of them being sure to keep an ear out for information.

“Robots huh?” Nagisa whispered, “That’s not going to be fun.”

“Che,” Terasaka tsked, “They’re not even accommodating people with passive quirks, the assholes.”

“Without a flashy combat capable quirk, we’re all at a disadvantage right off,” Kayano agreed.

“It will be fine,” Toka said confidently, “We have Karasuma-sensei’s training to fall back on. And our quirks are not our only blades.”

“Good thing too,” Sugino was glum, “What use is being able to track objects moving at the max speed of mach 5 when faced with robots?”

“And you five!” a loud voice suddenly cut their conversation. The five assassins in training turned as one and pinned the bespectacled teenager with cold stares. The boy flinched and on the stage, Present Mic looked mildly unsettled. Were they radiating blood lust? Oops. Karasuma-sensei was going to scold them if word of their lapse got back to him. “You-your whispering is disruptive!” the bespectacled boy shouted, voice shaking a little. Izuku gave him props for forging on. Being on the receiving end of five sources of killing intent couldn’t be pleasant. “Everyone here is trying their best! If you’re here for fun, you should drop out!”

“Oi oi!” Terasaka snarled in response, rising to his feet like a cat preparing to strike, “Don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself? Or is your head so far up your pretentious ass that you can’t see the truth before your eyes?” He turned his head and glared at Present Mic, “Oi, teach, isn’t this test unfair to those of us without obvious combat quirks? Engine kid is feeling entitled to his spot in the hero course already just because he’s got speed on his side. What about me and my classmates? We have passive quirks! This exam is biased in favor of force!”

Present Mic looked uncomfortable. “Ah… well… Excellent points brought up by both of you! The Zero pointer is just an obstacle for you. And.. uh.. no good hero is a one trick pony! If you can think on your feet, you won’t need quirks to get your necessary points!”

 

“Present Mic-san!” Kayano leapt to her feet even as Sugino and Nagisa bodily hauled Terasaka down and covered his mouth to stop him shouting at the hero, “Are you saying then, that any student who doesn’t make it into the hero course is stupid?”   
  
Mic looked even more uncomfortable at that, “Ah…. no? No! I’m not saying that! It’s just.. Ah… Not everyone is suited to thinking on the fly, which is a necessity in heroics! Er…. umm…. Ok! That’s enough for now kids! All Examinees head over to your designated test centers!”

“That was kinda funny,” Sugino chuckled as the 3-E students prepared to head out with the other exam-takers, “Never thought I’d see Present Mic at a loss for words.”

“Sad though,” Kayano sniffed, “For a pro, he’s sure easy to fluster. Guess he’s all bluster without a script.”

“Not like you, eh, Kayano-kun?” Izuku chuckled, “You went the whole year without a script.”

“Of course not!” Terasaka laughed, “Our Kayano is an actress of the highest caliber! She had us all fooled,” he sobered and added in a lower voice, “even that monster.”

Toka nodded, “We can’t let down our guard for a single moment though. Glasses boy drew attention to us, and Terasaka just told everyone that none of us have combat capable quirks. We’re the weak link now.”

“Nagisa,” Izuku said, “your quirk lets you spot weaknesses right? Just based on the diagrams, did you see any points we can exploit? The obvious weak spots would be the joints…”

Nagisa shook his head. “I’ll need to see them for sure first.”

“It’s ok!” Kayano cheered, “We have Ritsu-chan! Once you spot the robots’ weakness, Ritsu-chan can relay that information to the rest of us!” She slid her phone out of her pocket, “Right, Ritsu-chan?”

_ “That’s right!” _ Ritsu cheered.

“Then let’s go!” Sugino cheered,”We’ll show Yuuei what for! Let’s ace this exam!”

And they did.

 


	4. Don't think I've forgotten you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midoriya Hiashi meets his son again, but not in the way he expected.

It had been years since he last used his name. Almost a decade since he'd left home, left his wife, left his child, and now even if he went to them, they would not know him. How could they? He was no longer the handsome man his wife had fallen in love with. If his son could see him now, he'd be revolted-and that is before the boy learned he was a villain by the standards of the day- he'd be lucky if his son, being in a school for young, up and coming heroes hadn't fallen prey to the indoctrination had his worldview turned completely black and white.

"Sensei?"

The man once known as Midoriya Hiashi turned in the direction of the voice. "Ah... you have returned with the cargo I hope?"

"Yes." Two black marbles were tossed to the floor and two boys, one snarling profanities in a rage, and the other tense and glaring, appeared. Hiashi stared at hair the familiar shade of green. Her shade of green.

"You fool! I asked for only one child!"

Hiashi knew, as green and red energy crackled over his son's skin that when his age old enemy came, he wouldn't win. 

A true father could never bear to raise his hand to his own child. 

Well, he'd settle for this: that the quirk he'd given his naughty and ungrateful younger brother be in the possession of his son.

There was no one more worthy than his own blood. That meant...

"Shigaraki."

"Sensei?"

"Come here."

Blood splattered across Izuku's face. The boy froze, eyes wide.

"We will proceed as planned. Put the children in the cells. Separate them."

Whatever could be said about the state of society, the heroes could be trusted to come for the children. Hiashi would tear down the structure of society as it is now, and his son, his child would lead the next generation of heroes to build it new.

It was not what he'd started out with in mind, but the boy was born of him.

His perfect successor.

And his enemies had molded him for him without knowing.


	5. Declaration of War (Or the one where 3-E Izuku smacks down a bunch of arrogant brats)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Declaration of war huh?" Izuku lifted his head, eyes cold. "You don't know the meaning of the word. So let me make a declaration back: To all of you who think that facing the prospect of dying at the age of sixteen something glorious and worth bragging about, You're not fit to be heroes! Here is 1-A's declaration of war: Until you learn the spirit of a hero, We Will Beat You."

"Oi! Deku!" Uraraka bounced on the balls of her feet in front of the desk. "Aren't you excited!? Everyone's going to do their best!"

Izuku smiled gently. "Yeah. I can't wait."

They got up and prepared to leave the class only to find the way blocked by a wall of students. “Hey, what are you guys doing here?” Kirishima asked, being one of the students in the front. “And could you let us through? You're kinda blocking the door..."

“What is your business with 1-A?” Iida asked, pushing his way to the front.

Bakugou sneered as he shoved his seat back. “The sports festival is coming up soon. They’re obviously scouting us out,” he muttered darkly as he stalked toward the door. His usual glare frightens the weaker willed students into stepping back. “What you’re doing is fucking pointless. Out of my way, you shitty extras.” 

“Yo, 1-A!” someone shouts. The students move back as a teenager with silver hair shoves his way to the front of the pack. “You guys have gotten pretty arrogant after your little brush-up with the villains!” he says loudly, gesticulating furiously. “I’m from 1-B next door! Because of that incident, we didn’t even get to participate in the disaster rescue training yesterday!”

"Oh?" Izuku's voice was icy as he makes his way to the front, "1-B huh? That mean's you're in hero course yourself. So. Getting more points is more important to you then the near death of twenty odd people? Do you actually want to be a hero?"

"What's that supposed to mean, huh?!" the teenager snarled.

"What that means," Izuku smirked as he tucked the flesh colored earpiece into his ear under the guise of brushing back a few stray strands of hair, "Is that I think you wanted to be in our position. It's true isn't it?" his voice dropped to a venomous hiss even as Ristu whispered facts from the boy's academic files to him, "After all, you seem to think Villains getting into the school is a small thing, that the near death of twenty odd schoolmates your own age is something to get jealous of." Green eyes narrowed, "That is not something a hero does. Unless you're Endeavor, and the fact that he's a sack of flaming bullcrap is the worst kept secret in the industry. So then, Tetsutetsu-san," Izuku's lips curved in a cold, cruel smile, "Are you the second coming of Endeavor?"

The other teenager gaped, his mouth opening and closing furiously, seeking words of rebuttal that wouldn't come. He closed his mouth and glared, fuming. Rescue came for him, it seemed, from the back of the crowd.

“I came to see what the famous 1-A of the heroics course is like, but I’m pretty disappointed,” says the voice. It sounds… bone-dry, and absolutely deadpan. “Are you all just arrogant children like this classmate of yours here?”

Izuku snorts as he listens to the rest of his classmates frantically deny any similarities to Bakugou. Oh, there were plenty of them who were just as arrogant in their own ways; Iida, Yaoyorozu, and Todoroki were obvious examples. Izuku was self-aware enough to know that he was himself, on a lesser scale, just as arrogant, made so by his experiences in the assassination classroom. Fortunately, Karasuma-sensei had never been shy about keeping tabs on his former students and was not above coming down to smack them back down when they got too big for their britches. And even better was that Yuuei had no shortage of teachers who were not shy about smacking his ego back down to size.

“There are quite a few students who enrolled in the general courses or the other courses just because they couldn’t make it into the heroics course. Did you know that?” the newcomer asked.

Bakugou scoffed. “Of course I fucking did. And if you’re blaming any of that shit on us , then you guys are stupider than I thought.”

“Oh, we’re not blaming you. We’re just letting you know the facts - the school has left those of us a chance. Depending on the results of the sports festival, they’ll consider our transfer into the heroics course - and in turn, they may transfer some of you out. Scouting you out?” says a tall boy, with spiky purple hair and equally purple eyes that are lined with bags for days. Izuku recognized him immediately even without Ritsu's help. “I came here to tell you that even if you’re in Class 1-A, I’ll take that spot from you if you so much as underestimate us.”

Hitoshi Shinso set his jaw and stared squarely at Bakugou, who glared right back. “I came here with a declaration of war.” 

"Declaration of war huh?" Izuku lifted his head, eyes malevolently playful as he stepped out from behind Bakugou. "How nostalgic, Hitoshi-kun."

Hitoshi Shinso stared, slack jawed for a moment, then grinned equally maliciously. "Well here's a face I haven't seen in a while," he declared a little more cheerfully, "Not since we graduated from Kunugigaoka. You and me again, Midoriya, only on the sports fields instead of academics. But of course, brawn is right up your ally, isn't it, _Student of the End Class?_ "

"Your memory is so short, Hitoshi-kun," Izuku bared his teeth in a facsimile of Koro-sensei's smile, "Or have you forgotten that Class E stole the top 20 seats from Class A? But if you want to compete, so be it. Let me make a declaration back: To all of you who think that facing the prospect of dying at the age of sixteen something glorious and worth bragging about, You're not fit to be heroes! Here is 1-A's declaration of war: Until you learn the spirit of a hero, We Will Beat You."

"I'll see you back in last place where you belong, _End Class_ ," Shinso growled.

"Try me," Izuku's smile was as cold as his eyes.


	6. My Hero Academia: Reborn!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna sighed in resignation. It just figured that the Vongola Chaos would follow him even into the next life.

Mafia Don Tsuna being reborn as Izuku  
Izuku who from a very young age accidentally takes over a major yakuza family  
Tusna-Izuku who somehow winds up in Yuuei's hero course  
Aizawa having a mini heart attack because THERE IS A YAKUZA OYABUN IN HIS CLASS  
"ALLMIGHT your kid is a YAKUZA OYABUN."  
"Nonsense SHOUTA!!!!"  
Izuku's yakuza bodyguards lining up outside the school every morning and afternoon  
"OHAYO GOZAIMASU OYABUN!"  
"KONNICHIWA OYABUN!"  
"HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE CAN YOU PLEASE STOP THIS???"  
ALL MIGHT IS OBLIVIOUS "IT IS GOOD TO HAVE LOYAL FRIENDS!!!!"  
Aizawa: "tHEY ARE YAKUZA ENFORCERS!!! YOUR SUCCESSOR IS A YAZUKA OYABUN!!!!"  
ALL MIGHT: "nONSENSE SHOUTA!!!!"  
Plot twist: All might knows. He pretends to be oblivious because he just finds aizawa freaking out hilarious  
shiggy mccreephands tries to make nice  
izuku is like, "You tried to kill Aizawa-sensei. Eraserhead is MINE you asshole."  
Shiggymccreephands: "Wait.... but you're in yuuei's hero course?!"  
Izuku: "What does that have to do anything?"  
Izuku tells anyone who asks that he's making a point:  
that even a CRIMINAL can make a better hero than Endickvore  
Reborn's rubbed off on him  
"My name is Izuku, Oyabun of [insert family name here], I'm here to prove that Endeavor is such a crappy human being that even a criminal can be a better hero."  
"So what does your family do?"  
"My mom is a house wife."  
"My FAMILY is the [insert family name here] yazuka family and I am the oyabun."  
"My dad works for the Ministry of Heroics in Tokyo."

even more hilarious?  
if the Vongola are still around and Izuku is a back-up heir again  
"I DID THIS ONCE. NEVER AGAIN"  
"I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL ACTUALLY DESTROY THIS FAMILY IF I HAVE TO BE DON AGAIN"  
"y'ALL CRAZY!!!!"  
how much do you wanna bet that hiashi encouraged it on grounds that "It's teaching him leadership skillz!!!! And he's a good boy, he'll shut it down if daddy tells him!"  
And later one, the entire Ministry of defense encourages it because ANYTHING TO BEAT DOWN ENDICKWHORE'S ego is a good thing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Throwaway thought:
> 
> AIZAWA IS REBORN
> 
> death moutain training  
> explozives under the seats  
> "2+2is?"  
> Kaminari: 6  
> Aziawa: WRONG! detonates the explosives "It's 4!"


	7. Implacable (Part 9) Iron Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of USJ is... trying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an in depth discussion with a reader, and for the sake of the readers who would have trouble accessing the media on sites other than ao3, I will continue [Implacable](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14604633/chapters/33755565) here as well as on the [TLDWC](https://thelittledekuwhocould.tumblr.com/) tumblr.

Hizashi does his best to hide the stretcher carrying Izuku out of the facility from the rest of the class. The scream of shock from one of the girls tells him he’d failed. Behind him, another two stretchers carrying Thirteen and Shouta emerges, and Hizashi hears, distantly, the children crying out in horror. He can’t blame them. He wants to shout, to cry also. Shouta, his oldest friend next to Tensei and Nemuri, was beaten nearly to death. One of their precious students, a child Shouta and Hizashi together, had worked to nurture, to protect, whom they’d thought quirkless for years was also beaten nearly to death. They’d seen him occasionally from a distance, met with Inko when Izuku had confessed to Shouta the bullying and neglect by teachers so to convince her to listen to them. Izuku was the estranged little brother they cherished, whom Shouta worried about constantly.

 

“Shouta’s going to throw a fit when he hears about this,” Nemuri whispers as she falls into step beside him, her eyes fixed on the small, so small, form of their student.

 

“He’s going to blame himself for his injuries,” Hizashi agreed.

 

\--

 

Izuku wakes to find Recovery Girl by his bed, and on the other side of his bed, All Might in his true form and his teary eyed mother also.

 

“So you’re awake,” Recovery Girl scowled, “You got very lucky. You have a cracked skull, a concussion, three broken ribs, pulverized your legs, ruined an arm and your fingers, and dislocated a shoulder. It could have been a lot worse.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“You’re spending the night here so I can monitor that concussion.”

 

“What?”

 

“Izuku,” Inko said, taking his hand in hers, carefully avoiding the IV, “I already agreed with Recovery Girl. You’ll stay here tonight. Yagi-san will stop by in the morning with a change of clothes for you, and if Recovery Girl says it’s alright, you’ll attend class with your classmates.”

 

“Oh… Ok…”

 

\--

 

“Hey!!! Aren’t those kids in Class 1-A?!”

 

Uraraka and Iida exchanged alarmed looks as they were swarmed by what seemed like a quarter of the school’s population as soon as they entered the cafeteria.

 

“I heard you were attacked by  _ villains _ !” 

 

“Were you scared?”

 

“What was it like?”

 

“Did you actually fight?”

 

“How many villains did you kill?!”

 

“Did you get hurt?”

 

“I hear a student got killed!”

 

“I heard that one of you killed a teacher!”

 

“How many were there?!”

 

“Did you get graded on it?”

 

“How many points do you get for surviving a villain attack?!”

 

“What color panties were you wearing?!”

 

“I heard they let the villains in on purpose to scare the Gen-Ed kids!”

 

“I heard there weren’t villains at all!”

 

“That is enough!” Blood King roared as he stormed into the cafeteria. “Back to your seats! There will be no more talking about this!”

 

Sullenly, the crowd dispersed. The hero turned to the two 1-A students, “Have you gotten your food yet?” The two 1-A students nodded shakily. “Then go back to your classroom now.”

 

Uraraka and Iida bowed and fled.

 

Blood King huffed and left. As the door shut, he heard the whispers start up.

 

“How arrogant!”

 

“I can’t believe they’re supposed to be heroes-”

 

“They probably planned the attack to get attention-”

 

“I bet they let the villains in-if there were villains at all.”

 

“What the hell?!” he muttered to himself, “What’s up with these kids today? They’re all so  _ stupid _ .”

 

\--

 

Izuku looked down at his hands, which he had clasped together at some point during the conversation with the Quirk Counselor. Megathirio was, as he was last time, patient and easygoing, teasing out the whole story bit by agonizing bit; never once pressuring Izuku to tell the story any faster than he was comfortable with. But the story was told in the end, and Izuku even got good advice out of it.

 

He still wasn’t sure what was even the point of the analysis games that Megathirio had him play every session though. It was just stuff everyone knew about heroes right? It was all just common sense, nothing to be proud of. Right?

 

\--

 

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: DJ_Y.Zashi@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2018 8:15 PM  _

_ Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Is Shouta ok? _

 

_ Hizashi-san _ _  
_ _ Can you let me know when Shouta is recovered? _

_ Izuku. _

 

\--

 

From: DJ_Y.Zashi@live.co.ja

To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja 

Sent: Sunday, April 14, 2018 8:46 PM 

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Is Shouta ok?

 

Izuku-kun   
Sure thing kid. I’ll tell Shouta you’ve been asking for him too.   
Hizashi

 

\--

 

Shouta sighed as Hizashi finished reading off the list. “He downplayed the amount of injuries he had.”

 

Hizashi set down the list of injuries Recovery Girl had sent them that he’d used to tick off the injuries for Shout that Izuku had described in his letter, only to find that the boy had glossed over all of them.

 

Shouta dearly wanted to rub the bridge of his nose in frustration, but that was not an option, not with the fine bones in his face still tender and his hands in casts. Warm hands encased the sides of his face and gently rubbed circles over his bandaged temples. The injured man breathed out slowly and leaned into the touch.

 

“What am I going to do with him?” Shouta asked tiredly, “Since getting his quirk, it’s like he’s gotten even more reckless…”

 

“You do what you’ve always done,” Hizashi said calmly, “You support him the best you can. And since you’re also his teacher now, you also have the option of beating sense into his skull.”

 

“I’d have to get past All Might first.”

 

“I might have a solution to that.”

 

\--

 

**From: A.Shota@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Monday, April 16, 2018 7:26 PM**

**Subject: Re: Field Trip~**

 

**Good morning, Izuku.**

 

**I’m glad to hear that you have recovered from your injuries. Please don’t make a habit of it. There will not always be a Healing Quirk nearby to help you when you get hurt. Hizashi tells me that you’ve been corresponding with him during my convalescence. I’m glad that you’re getting along.**

 

**My own injuries are healing, though not as quickly as I’d like. I’ll be back in class tomorrow regardless. If I leave my class alone for any longer, they’ll start slacking off and picking up bad habits.**

 

**How is your schooling coming along? I understand Yuuei’s curriculum is very demanding. Are you able to keep up with your studies?**

 

**Shouta**

 

\--

 

All Might, in his skeletal true form, set down the printed out emails and buried his face in his hands.

 

“Oh dear,” he said. “Oh dear…. Izuku, my boy… I thought you were supposed to be observant and smart? What  _ happened _ ?”

 

Hizashi grinned cheerfully as if he were trying not to laugh and Shouta shrugged. 

 

“He’s a teenage boy. We were all idiots at that age.”

 

\--

 

TBC

 


	8. Body Electric (Or the one where crack abounds)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku is plagued by the worst aspect of summer: The bug bites. Is there no relief?!

All Might stands on the roof of Yuuei's Alliance Heights Dormitory thin chest thrown out, hands on his hips, feet planted at shoulder width, his lips peeled back in a grin that is more of a grimace as the hot summer wind blows his bangs back away from his face. 

"SUMMER IS HERE!!!!" he booms, surprisingly loudly for a man who looks like he's on the verge of death. "HAHA! HAHAHAHA!!!"

His laughter was cut short as he choked on blood.

"Alright, that's enough hamming it up," Aizawa's capture scarfs wrapped around All Might's body and dragged him across the roof toward the door.

\----

Down below, the bodies of the students of Class 1-A is strewn all around the common room. The quiet whirring of the overhead fans is the only sound in the common area, that and the low whine of an insect and the occasional slap of flesh against flesh as some poor soul tries to kill the tiny winged vampire determined to sink a long, greedy proboscis into supple young flesh to suck up a belly full of sweet, young blood.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kaminari began to spark. "I can't deal with this!"

"Kaminari, don't!"

The common area fills with electricity and the sound of pained screaming.

"Kaminari uses Thunderbolt," Todoroki said from under the non-conductive sheet Yaoyorozu had just barely managed to produce and cover the five members of the Dekusquad with at the last moment. The low whine of an insect flittered by and there was a loud _slap_ and Uraraka started floating up, "It was not very effective."

"Guys!" Izuku barged into the Common Area with too much energy for how hot it was. "I've got it! I have found the holy grail!" He brandished the garish yellow flyswatter shaped like All Might's head victoriously.

"Yaaaaayyyy....." the Dekusquad and Momo, the only students other than Izuku still conscious, chorused without enthusiasm.

The evil insect whined around Izuku, and he swung. The fly swatter made contact with a loud _smack_! Iida's glasses went flying as the engine legged boy collapsed in a heap, a bright right All Might shaped mark on his face. 

"Iida! Noooooo!!!!!" Izuku wailed. 

"Midoriya used swat," Todoroki said, deadpan, "Midoirya missed and hit the wrong person. Iida is unconscious."

The green haired boy's eyes narrowed. "Evil creature! I'll get you yet!" He leapt after the low pitched whining of the insect, brandishing the flyswatter like the world's most formidable grandmother facing a young robber with only a frying pan. "Take that! And that! And that!" The flyswatter left red marks on various body parts of Kaminari's fallen victims every time Izuku missed the insect and hit a classmate instead. The insects whined mockingly in his ears and went to take a bite of young, succulent flesh. Izuku snarled, Full Cowl crackling over his body. Suddenly the whining stopped. Three tiny winged bodies hit the carpet with gentle _plops_.

"Midoriya used Bug Zapper," Todoroki turned the page of his textbook. "It was very effective."


	9. Wishing for a Helping Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku gets a helping hand

Izuku was tired of being blown up. He was tired of having to buy new materials. He was just... tired.

Normally, he'd keep his uniform on, the dark colored jacket easily hiding the injuries from the course of the day. But today, it was equal parts too hot, and the feeling of cloth scraping over his injuries hurt. Bakugou had rubbed chili powder into his injuries today. So Izuku ducked into a small alley and gingerly took off the jacket, stuffed it into the backpack, and prepared to slide the straps back onto his shoulders. A hand grabbed the backpack before Izuku could settle it onto his shoulders, holding it above raw flesh. He glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes widened.

Even with his hair down and his triangular shades swapped out for half-moon spectacles, Present Mic's mustache and green eyes were very recognizable, and his mouth was twisted, not in his famous smile, but in disapproval and concern.

"Hey kiddo," the Voice Hero's voice was kind and gentle, "What happened to your back?"

"I fell down," the familiar lie slipped out almost automatically.

"You... fell down." Present Mic lifted an eyebrow, "Kid, I know knife marks and burns when I see them, so unless you fell down on a stove after falling on knives that were somehow blade side up, I can't say I believe ya."

Izuku was tired of people. His back burned and everything hurt. He just wanted to go home and sleep. "Then don't." He yanked on his backpack's straps but Mic did not let go. For such a skinny guy, Present Mic's grip was pretty strong. "Let go."

"No," Mic said, his voice dipping into more recognizable timbres, "You're going to hurt your back and shoulders more if I do."

"Let go," Izuku insisted, "Please."

"Kid, if someone is hurting you-"

"No one will do anything!" Izuku let go of his bag and glared at the voice hero. "No ever does any thing! Who cares about the useless quirkless kid anyway?! It doesn't matter! Someone brings me up, and then it's not the person talking who gets hurt! It's me! The teachers aren't going to stop them! Why would they? I'm quirkless! It's useless to try to stop it! No one cares anyway!" Izuku abandoned his bag and ran.

* * *

 

Mic's frown darkened as he watched the boy's retreating back, "I care," he said to the now empty alley, "and there are plenty of other people who care too." He reached into the yellow backpack and pulled out what he was looking for, a student id.

 _Orudera Middle School_  
_First Year Student, Midoriya Izuku_

He pulled out his phone and swiped through his contacts.

"Yo, Shouta. I need a favor."

* * *

 

Izuku regretted leaving behind his backpack once he got home. For one thing, his student ID card was in there. For another, he couldn't do his homework without his materials. Fortunately, his mother was not home yet, so he had some time to get cleaned up. Once he'd cleaned his back to the best of his ability, he went through the drawers in his desk. He still had the damaged textbooks from earlier in the year. If the pages he needed were still legible, he could do some of his homework....

The doorbell rang. Izuku looked up from his desk. That was strange. His mother never rang the doorbell, and their neighbors held the Midoriya house in contempt (a single working mother with a quirkless son? Clearly there was something wrong with the family, especially since the woman couldn't keep her man) so they wouldn't come by either. He warily opened the door.

"Hey there little Listener!!!!" Present Mic, his hair gelled into it's superbly recognizable style, in his uniform stood at the door. Behind him was a ragged looking man with dark hair, a long white scarf wrapped around his neck and shoulders and yellow goggles covering his eyes. Present Mic held up Izuku's backpack. "You left something behind!!!"

 _"Heroes? Here?"_ Izuku could hear the neighbors whispering, _"I knew those Midoriyas were up to no good! They must be criminals! About time someone did something about the quirkless animal!"_ He hated them so much.

Izuku reached out and took the bag. "Thank you."

"What was that?!" Mic turned and shot an uncharacteristic glare at the gossipers, "Then doesn't that mean you all descended from animals? Only a hundred years ago, no one had quirks you know?!"

"You shouldn't do that," Izuku whispered, "You're untouchable. Mom and I are going to be evicted because of you now thanks."

"They can't do that!" Mic protested at the top of his voice, "they can't evict you for being quirkless just because I defended you! That's quirk discrimination and it's illegal!"

"You heroes," Izuku's smile was brittle, "You all need to take off your rose tinted glasses and see the world for what it is. No one cares about the laws around here. The only Hero who patrols here is Jet Burst, and even he doesn't give a damn if it won't earn him money. You can't prove quirk discrimination. The laws don't even protect the quirkless, just the quirked. Give it up. Thank you for bringing me my homework. Now go away before you make things worse."

"It won't get worse," the other man said.

"YEAH!!!" Mic grinned, "Because it turns out, Eraserhead here," he gestured at the man behind him, "He's one of your downstairs neighbors!"

Izuku peered at the man, the Underground Hero. Then recognition struck. "Aizawa-san."

Aizawa Shouta tugged the goggles off and gave him a crooked grin as he held up a first aid kit. Silence fell as the neighbors immediately slammed the doors shut as they realized that they were toeing the line in the presence of a hero who not only knew them, but had most likely heard them talking smack since he lived in the same building. "Now. Present Mic tells me someone exploded your back. Let's get that looked at, shall we?"

Well. Now he had no choice at all, did he? Aizawa-san was also a school teacher as well as a hero, so if Present Mic had told him, he was now obligated to report it. Officials would listen to a hero where they refused to listen to the mother of a quirkless.

There might be some help coming after-all.

Aizawa's smile became more genuine and Mic's shoulders relaxed when they both saw the change in the boy.

He was daring to hope.

And the two heroes exchanged a glance as they followed Izuku into the apartment. They would be more vigilant from now on. As for Izuku, they'll make sure the bullying stopped before he became another statistic.

Plus Ultra.


	10. The Little Things - Form 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku tries and fails to sneak contraband past Aizawa

Aizawa stared at the teenager, blank faced. Izuku swallowed hard, clutching the bundled up jacket closer to his chest.

 

“Midoriya, smuggling contraband into the school is not behavior that is acceptable. Hand it over.”

 

Izuku shook his head, sending droplets of water all over and took a step back.

 

“Do not make me call your father.”

 

Izuku twitched and reluctantly handed the jacket over. Aizawa frowned when he realized the bundle was moving and flipped it open….

 

_ “Mew!” _

 

Aizawa stared at the three bedraggled kittens peering up at him from amidst the folds of the jacket.

 

_ “Mreaow!” _

 

_ “Nyeraa~” _

 

“Midoriya…. Why are these…”

 

“They were outside! And it was raining and they looked cold and I couldn’t just leave them!”

 

One of the kittens, a tabby, struggled out of the jacket and pressed a paw against his shoulders and mewed plaintively. Aizawa folded like wet tissue.

 

“Fine. Only until the rain stops.”

 

\-------------

 

“And then he took them away!”

 

“Ah…” All Might chuckled, “Aizawa-kun is very fond of cats. Most likely they’re in his room. Before moving into the dormitories to take care of you kids, he used to rescue stray cats.”

 

“Oh… Do you think he’ll let us keep them in the dorms?”

 

“He loves cats, Izuku.”

 

\---------------

Aizawa blinked at his student who looked up at him with wide, expectant eyes.

 

“Please, Sensei, please let us keep them?”

 

Aizawa huffed and looked away as one of the kittens valiantly tried to climb up his legs, mewing determinedly all the while. “Fine.”

 

“Hooray!”


	11. Confessions of a Hero-in-Training (Null Quirk AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku has always thought of his father as a strong person. But tonight, he looks small, exhausted. He looks very human, leaning over Izuku, big hands on his shoulders as he cries into his hair.
> 
> Companion to [Confessions of an Underground Hero](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427/chapters/33754296)

Izuku had never really suspected that he might be the son of a hero. Or at least, he never voiced it as a possibility. He was not going to give any potential bullies anymore ammunition against him. But then once he entered Kaishin Daiichi Chû Gakkô, he met several Legacies, children from a family of Heroes, who was slated to follow in their family's footsteps. And that was when the suspicions began. Of course, Izuku very pointedly did not acknowledge them.

_"You look just like your father," the school nurse, Kaname-san said as she pressed a damp cloth to the scrape on his elbow, "Just as reckless as he is."_

_"You know my father, Kaname-san?"_

_"I work with him sometimes," Kaname-san agreed._

_"And I look like him?"_

_"You have his nose," Kaname-san smiled, "And his smile."_

_"Dad says I have mom's smile."_

_"Of course he does. That man is biased."_

He confronted his father at some point. Oh my god, it did not go well in that he'd cried all over the man. Figuratively, because they'd been on the phone at the time, but that was not... He was a _Legacy_. He was a Legacy and his family was in danger because someone had lost a list, and his father's name was on it.

_"You know, Midoriya, "there's only one hero in the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Area with a quirk that erases quirks?"_

_"I know!" Izuku pulled out his analysis notebook, rapidly flipping to the pages in question, "Eraserhead! He's an Underground Hero! Mom says that she fished him out of a dumpster a few times before I was born!"_

_Shinso-kun gave him a dry look, "It's interesting, isn't it? Your quirk is very similar to his. You both cancel the quirk factor, but it doesn't work on mutation type quirks."_

_Izuku laughed, "It really is! If there's a chance, I'd like to meet him one day. I wonder if dad's ever worked with him?" A pause, "Hey, Shinso-kun, what's with that look?"_

_"Nothing, nothing," the purple haired teen smiled. "Just as passing thought."_

Izuku happens to walk under the wrong bridge at the wrong time that day. It is there, drowning in the body of a slime villain that he finds out that yeah. Suspicions confirmed.... He can't nullify mutation type quirks. Izuku is the son of a hero. His dad left him and his mom so he could keep them safe. Izuku can't die. Not here. Not now. He has to live so he can meet his father face to face!

And All Might arrives.

All Might is a sick old man. Like, literally. He's a skeleton because of the toll his injury's taken on his body and he is constantly coughing up a ridiculous amount of blood and that's not healthy. Izuku asks if he knows about a list of hero names that went missing years ago. All Might gives him a knowing look and tells him to not worry about it.

_"Do you think my father will be able to attend my graduation?"_

_"He's survived ten years with his name in the wind, young man. If he isn't dead yet, he's doing something right and should not die any time soon. Do not worry."_

Izuku almost doesn't recognize Bakugou Katsuki. It's been five years since he had last seen the other boy, having been pulled out of school by his father in response to the bullying and transferred to Higashimachi Elementary School, and later Kaishin Middle School. But Izuku will never forget the infuriated red eyes or the explosive quirk. But right now, Bakugou doesn't look angry. He looks scared. And the assembled pros can't or won't do anything. Izuku knows his quirk will be about as helpful as Deatharms' quirk, right now, that is, completely useless. But he activates his quirk and runs forward anyway.

_"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?! WERE YOU EVEN THINKING?! HOW DARE YOU BEHAVE SO RECKLESSLY!!! IF ALL MIGHT HAD NOT BEEN THERE YOU WOULD HAVE DIED!!! HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD HAVE MADE YOUR MOTHER FEEL?!! HOW DO YOU THINK I WOULD HAVE FELT?! EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR MOTHER, EVERYTHING I'VE FOUGHT FOR TO KEEP YOU SAFE WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING!!! ANSWER ME, IZUKU!!!"_

_"I... I'm sorry dad. I didn't think."_

_"Damn right you didn't think," his father hissed, "If you were less lucky, you'd be dead. That's something final, Izuku, life isn't a video game, There is no respawn function. If you're dead, you're gone."_

_"I know dad. I'm sorry."_

_"I need... I want you alive and happy, Izuku. I am more than happy to arrange any lessons you need for your future, but self-preservation isn't something I can teach you. And self-preservation is something you need desperately at this point. You're grounded."_

_"Mom already grounded me for a week."_

_"Then I'm grounding you for another week."_

_"Daaaaaaddd~"_

_"Don't think you can get off scott free. Look out your window."_

_Izuku turned toward the window, and out on the roof of the apartment building across the street, there were three flashes of light._

_“Dad… are you…?”_

_“Yeah. So don’t think I don’t have my eyes on you, kid.”_

_“Okay. Grounded for two weeks. This is going to suck.”_

_“Use this time to think about your actions and how it will affect the people around you!”_

_“Yes dad.”_

He is offered All Might's quirk. Unthinkingly, caught up in the moment, Izuku accepts. He realizes later that he's going to have to explain the sudden appearance of a strength augmentation quirk on top of the Nullification Quirk he'd inherited from his father. That... is going to be tough.

Even though All Might said not to tell anyone, Izuku's father is a hero. If anyone knows the importance of secrecy, it would be his father, the man with a price on his head, whose secrecy was keeping Izuku and his mother safe. Izuku doesn't get the chance to call his father because his father calls him, and Izuku is grounded for two weeks, first by his mother, then by his father. Its at the end of his grounding that he gets to talk to his father about All Might, but it's not Izuku who initiates the conversation.

_"I got an interesting call the other day."_

_"Dad?"_

_"From All Might of all people."_

_"Oh... I can explain?"_

_"Yes. Please explain why I should let him paint an even larger target on your back in addition to the one I've put on you just by being your father."_

In the end, his father gives his permission. Izuku trains hard to build up his body in preparation for taking on One for All. All Might takes a lot of pictures and videos. He has the sinking feeling that All Might is sharing his suffering with his father. He finds out later that he's not _wrong_....

_“I swear, Shinso, this training is going to be the death of me.”_

_Shinso gives Izuku a blank stare as he drinks his soda._

_“Oh, come on! Why do you keep giving me such weird looks!”_

_Shinso sighed, “For someone so observant, you really are dense.”_

_“That’s mean!”_

_“It’s the truth! I can’t believe you still haven’t seen what is right in front of you! I can see it, and I’ve never met the guy!”_

_Izuku’s eyebrows draw together in confusion. “I get the feeling we’re talking about two seperate things…”_

_Shinso facepalms in exasperation._

 

The morning of the Entrance Exam, All Might brings a tablet, and Izuku sees only a picture of Izuku as a baby in the arms of his dad, the man’s face is turned away from the camera because baby Izuku’s got a handful of black hair and is attempting to stuff it in his mouth. But the video call is active, and when All Might says, “Eat this,” Izuku can hear his dad wheezing, presumably in laughter.

“You’re both ganging up on me,” he complains as he takes All Might’s hair.

“Your face, kiddo!” his father laughed, “Oh, that’s priceless!”

Izuku rolls the hair into a ball and washes it down with several large gulps of water. He’s still swallowing around the phantom sensation of a hair in his throat when his dad makes a sound of surprise.

“It’s getting late! All Might, make sure he gets to Yuuei on time. Good luck kiddo!” the Skype call cuts out, leaving Izuku staring awkwardly at the tablet.

“Hurry, hurry!” All Might grinned. “Or you’re going to be late!”

 

Izuku runs into Shinso on their way to the practical exams. Shinso grins at him, and they fistbump before making their way to the testing area in friendly silence.

 

 _Izuku panics. The glasses guy with engines in his legs scares him. The boy accuses him of trying sabotage other examinees, which is completely not true, and Izuku wishes he had his dad’s way of cutting people down with words. He wishes more than ever he was brave like his dad, because the accusation that he would sabotage another person doesn’t sit well with him. He wants to retort, “Aren’t you sabotaging_ **_me_ ** _by making me too uncomfortable to wish my friend luck?” But he’s too much Inko’s son, too polite to do it. The exam begins. He panics through the entire practical exam up until the Zero Pointer appears. He breaks his arm to save the nice girl with the gravity quirk. As he falls back down to earth, Izuku thinks, “Dad’s gonna kill me if he hears about this…”_

 

He can’t reach his father. He can’t reach All Might. Of course he can’t reach them. He must have disappointed them by failing the exam so spectacularly. Could they be blamed for wanting nothing to do with a failure like him?

But he was wrong about failing the entrance exam, oh, so wrong. Rescue points, he should have guessed that a hero school wouldn’t just grade them on combat ability. He makes it it, and he calls his dad and All Might in glee and they finally answer him, and omigod no wonder, they wanted it to be a surpriseandboyhewassurprisedallright!

He’s going to be a H E R O

 

_Shinso didn’t get into the Hero Course, which make Izuku feel awkward telling him about making the cut._

_Shinso’s face lights up, “I heard about that! I can’t believe you suddenly developed a secondary quirk like super strength! I know you feel bad, Izuku, but get this: No one deserves a place in Hero Course more than you.”_

_“Shinso-kun…”_

_“Don’t worry,” Shinso grinned, “Yuuei’s bylaws mean that I can still transfer into Hero Course! I just have to make a good showing at the sports festival!”_

_“It won’t be the same without you though…”_

_“No it won’t,” Shinso agreed, “But this is what is called growing up, isn’t it? We can’t be together forever?”_

_“No I guess not…”_

 

Izuku stares at his new homeroom teacher in awe. The man is lying on his left side on the floor, cocooned in a yellow sleeping bag. The voice is familiar, he’s heard that voice growing up. Izuku suddenly recalls all the times Shinso had stared at him with a look of disbelieving amusement.

Oh.

Oh. My. God.

His Quirk. He got his quirk from his Dad. His Dad. Is.

Oh.

Izuku feels blood rushing to his cheeks, and he presses his hands to his face, his eyes fixed on his new teacher’s exhausted face. Izuku is grinning like crazy, and his heart is pounding hard in excitement.

This. Is AWESOME. His DAD IS SO C O O L.

 

_Izuku’s dad glares at him. He grins sheepishly._

_“Midoriya, You will not attempt to replicate another hero’s move like that again. Not until you are trained enough that we know you won’t kill your opponent by accident. Understand?”_

_“Yes sir.” ‘Dad sir,’ Izuku doesn’t say. His father hid them, Izuku and his mother both, for a reason. He won’t be so careless with that information in public, even if there is no safer place for the secret to come out than in Yuuei._

 

USJ was awful. Izuku knows that he’ll remember it forever, the absolute terror of seeing his father smiling at him and then leaping into the the fray. One man against hundreds of villains. He’d known that his father was a Hero, he knew that his father’s work was dangerous, made more so by having a price on his head. But to see it first hand… Izuku doesn’t scream for his father when he gets drawn into the warp portal. He can’t afford to distract him.

 

_"Only if you feel like your life is in danger. Only in self defense," his father told him back when he had first transferred into Higashimachi. Izuku has lived by that advice for six years. And now, underwater and watching a villain come at him, shark-like maw opened wide, he thinks his life is in danger. He hooks the warmth in his chest that is his father’s quirk and casts it out wide._

_He is yanked out of the water and deposited on the deck of a ship._

_“Thank you, Asui-san.”_

_“Call me Tsuyu-chan, ribbit.”_

_“Right. Thank you, Tsuyu-chan.”_

_"Anyway, this has turned into a rather bad situation, though." Tsuyu said._

_"Yeah. What the villain said earlier…" Izuku grimaces. "They knew U.A.'s schedule! Looking at the big picture, those guys must've set up the media intrusion the other day to get information.They were waiting to pounce, just as Todoroki-kun said."_

_"But, but…" Mineta sniveled, "It's not like they can kill All Might!" The purple-haired boy then punches the air as he adds, "Once All Might comes, he'll pound these guys!"_

_"Mineta-san," Tsuyu said sharply._

_"Huh?" Mineta tilts his head._

_"Don't you think they are trying so hard because they have a way to kill him? Guys that strong just told us they would torture us to death, you know."_

_Mineta's eyes widened in terror. "I wonder if we'll be able to hold out until All Might arrives…" The boy begins to sweat as Asui continued. "Even if All Might comes, I wonder if we will all make it out in one piece…"_

_The ship shudders and lurches sharply to the side._

_“We’re in so much trouble!!!!” Mineta wails._

_“We need to get out,” Izuku stands up, “But I don’t think these villains will let us out without a fight. So we have no choice. We need to get back to the Central Plaza.” He tries to channel as much of All Might and his father as possible, “We have to fight like our lives depend on it.”_

 

Izuku will remember it forever, his teacher, his father, his skin flaking away under Shigaraki’s hands, leaping away as blood slid down his arm which hung useless. Shigaraki’s twisted laughter and then… His father face down in a spreading pool of blood under Noumu’s grasp. Bloodied and beaten. Izuku will not ever forget his terror as the villain came toward them, hand reaching, five fingers delicately sliding across the S K I N of his ThRoaT

But nothing happens.

“Oh?” the villain turns a little, looking over his shoulder, “So cool. You’re too cool, Eraserhead.”

Izuku takes the opening. He pulls on everything, Nullification and One for All. And he casts the net wide and throws all his strength into a single punch.

“Smash? You say?” Izuku opens his eyes to see Noumu in front of him, spiderwebs of cracks arcing across his chest. He knows he has made a mistake. “Hey kid, your quirk is very similar to that person’s. Are you his kid maybe? If we kill you, will it hurt him?!”

Izuku throws up his arms in a desperate block.

There is darkness. There is pain. His ribs are shattering, his bones snap like twigs, his insides are l i q u i f y i n g. His only saving grace, his father’s quirk, is the only reason why Shigaraki Tomura has not been able to reduce him to nothingness yet.

And then.

And then.

All Might is there.

“Aizawa-kun… Midoriya-Shounen… I’m so sorry…”

Izuku cracks an eye open painfully, sees the curve of his father’s bloodied nose in front of him, the crisp white of All Might’s shirtsleeve past his father’s head. He closes his eyes.

 

_“Mom!” Izuku clambers to his feet when he sees his mother enter the school’s medical wing behind the Principal._

_“Izuku!” his mom hugs him tightly, but carefully. Someone had obviously told her about his broken arms and ribs, his fractured shoulder blades and shattered legs._

_“I’m ok,” he whispers, “Recovery girl fixed me up. The bones are still tender, that’s all.”_

_His mom presses a kiss to his forehead, over the bandages that cover the gash running along his scalp. “Now, Principal,” his mom says as she straightens and turns, “I have seen for myself that my son is safe. But what about Shouta? Where is my husband?”_

_“This way, Midoriya-san.”_

_Izuku’s mom doesn’t let go of him. They both enter the next room._

_Present Mic and Midnight looks up. “Principal?” His eyes flick from Izuku to his mom warily as she pulls Izuku to the bedside._

_“This is Midoriya Inko-san,” Principal Nedzu says, “She is Aizawa-sensei’s wife.”_

_Green eyes widen. “Oh.”_

_Izuku stares. His father is completely covered in bandages from head to toe. He’s hooked up to what looks like every machine in the room. Izuku would never call his dad weak, but… He looks small… dwarfed almost… by the starkness of the room and the hospital bed._

_“Shouta…” Izuku’s mom touches dark hair tenderly. “Oh… Shouta…” her smile is watery, “This almost reminds me of when we first met. Did I tell you the story, Izuku? About how I pulled him out of the dumpster?”_

_“Yes mom.”_

 

Izuku almost chooses not to take part in the Sports Festival on grounds that Noumu had done a number on his body. Shinso stares at him when he tells him that, his chopsticks frozen midway to his mouth.

“That is an outright lie,” the purple haired boy said.

Izuku looked away and said, “You’re not wrong. All Might said that it would be a good time to tell the world, I am here! but... I do not have faith that I can fight and not break every bone in my body. I don’t have very good control of my secondary yet.”

“You’re an idiot,” Shinso slams his chopsticks and bento down. “If you refuse to participate with such a flimsy excuse, you’ll be telling your dad that you have no faith in him or the quirk you inherited from him. You’ll be telling him and the world you think he’s weak!”

“I don’t think he’s weak!”

“Yeah? Could’ve fooled me.”

 

_“Izuku.”_

_“Dad! Should you be out of bed?”_

_His father plops his cast on top of Izuku’s head and rubs side to side, hard. “Owowowow!”_

_“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. I wanted to talk to you about the Sports Festival. You don’t have to take part if you don’t want to.” His father clamps Izuku’s face between his casts, “I’d almost prefer if you didn’t with the way you’ve been breaking yourself.”_

_“Shinso said I’d be telling the world that I have no faith in you, in the quirk I inherited from you…”_

_His father stares at him. “The world would read it like that, yes,” he agrees, “But Izuku. There is no shame in wanting to get stronger before you step onto the public stage. It will be harder to gain positive exposure if you wait a year, but it’s not impossible.” He lowered his casts onto Izuku’s shoulders, “Plenty of excellent Heroes shine in the spotlight despite not having public exposure as students.”_

_Izuku steps forward and wraps this arms around his father’s waist, pressing his forehead to his chest. His dad awkwardly maneuvers the casts to hug him back._

_“I’m going to participate,” he mutters into the capture weapon, “And I’m going to tell the world, I’m here. I’m my father’s son.”_

_His dad awkwardly maneuvers the casts to hug him back. “Stubborn kid,” his dad mutters. Izuku wants to believe the choked up tone is pride._

 

Izuku and Shinso meet in the ring of the third event and don’t hold back. Shinso already knows Izuku’s Nullification means his Brainwashing won’t work. It comes down to a battle of the body, and even though he knows he’ll get in trouble for it, he mimics another hero’s technique and throws Shinso out of bounds. Later, Izuku faces Todoroki. He wakes up to the stark white ceiling of the infirmary to Recovery Girl’s scolding. At the end of the day, he is battered, bruised, and burned. He didn’t win the Sports Festival, but he has won Todoroki Shoto as a friend _._

His dad thinks Todoroki’s theory about Izuku being All Might’s illegitimate son is the most hilarious thing ever. But then, having invited Todoroki home to dinner, realizing that not only will his dad be there, but also Shinso and All Might in his emaciated true form…. Well, the revision to Todoroki’s theory was inevitable.

But now suddenly Izuku’s the product of a polyamorous relationship between his dad, his mom, All Might and All Might’s secretary, and Shinso is somehow Izuku’s half-brother through dad? Izuku’s not sure how he feels about it.

His mom and dad and All Might are all jerks and won’t stop teasing him about it though and Shinso just keeps grinning in that weird crooked way that reminds Izuku of everytime his dad shouts at the class, “It’s just a logical ruse!”

Has he mentioned that they’re all jerks? They won’t stop bringing it up!

 

_Gran Torino is a tiny man. He barely comes up to Izuku’s waist. But Izuku is not fooled. His mother is Midoriya Inko, a successful Quirk Lawyer and his father is Aizawa Shouta, the Underground Hero Eraserhead. His mentor in heroics is All Might and between these three incredible people, Izuku was raised to never judge a book by it’s cover. Gran Torino is from the generation of heroes that taught All Might, and because he has survived to see old age, he is a thousand times more dangerous than any of Izuku’s teachers._

_Izuku is right to be wary. Gran Torino beats a semblance of control over One for All into Izuku in the space of a week._

 

Izuku is so grounded. Oh. My. God. He is so grounded. Why did he leave the train? And now there is the Hero Killer in front of him. Oh. Holy. Fuck. Someone, anyone. Save him. He’s going to die. Iida is gonna die. Native’s gonna die. His dad is going to kill him. His mom is going to kill him. Shinso is going to murder him. Gran Torino is going to kill him. All Might is going to smash him into a red pulp on the floor. Holy fuck.

Izuku has no choice. He stalls. He stalls like his life depended on it.

Todoroki shows up. Izuku wants to sob with relief, but they’re not out of the woods yet.

Izuku and Todoroki work together to stall. At some point, stalling tactics stop working, and both Izuku and Todoroki are forced to get aggressive. The entire fight must have been fifteen to twenty minutes from start to finish.

“He’s unconscious,” Todoroki says suddenly, as if he can’t believe his eyes.

Izuku can’t believe it either.

And of course he gets kidnapped by a noumu. And of course the person that saves him is the Hero Killer. And of course everything that happened in Hosu is covered up.

 

_Izuku, Todoroki, and Iida are met by his father at the train station. Izuku isn’t as surprised as his two classmates when his father rounds on him, his quirk active._

_“Uh… Hi?”_

_“MIDORIYA IZUKU HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!!! WHAT POSSESSED YOU TO CONFRONT THE HERO KILLER OF ALL PEOPLE?!!! DID YOU LEARN NOTHING FROM THE SLUDGE VILLAIN INCIDENT?!!! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO BE SO RECKLESS?!!!”_

_“I can explain! I had a good reason!”_

_“YOU HAD DAMN WELL BETTER YOUNG MAN!!! BECAUSE YOU ARE GROUNDED FOR THE REST OF THE MONTH!!!”_

_“But Dad!!!”_

_“NO BUTS. GET YOUR ASS INTO THE CAR AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU’VE DONE!!!”_

_If nothing else, the look on Iida-kun’s face when he realized that Yuuei’s much feared Aizawa-Sensei was Izuku’s father was priceless and Izuku dearly hopes someone got a picture of it._

_His phone pings. Izuku grins at the picture message he’d just recieved. Bless his socially stunted best friend._

 

Izuku and his classmates decide to go o the mall. Izuku gets separated from the pack. Izuku runs into Shigaraki. Izuku calls his dad, puts the phone on speaker, and drops it into his pocket.

It’s a stalling game from there.

 

_His dad hugs him. Slings an arm around Izuku’s shoulders and holds him against his side and doesn’t let go, not even when the police are taking his statement. All Might and his mother hover in the background, and Izuku swears that Present Mic and Midnight are recording this entire thing for posterity. Izuku won’t be surprised if a copy makes it to Ingenium and Principal Nedzu. He especially won’t be surprised if a copy makes it to his mom._

_In the car, his dad’s eyes keep flicking toward his neck, where a handprint from when Shigaraki had taken off a layer of skin to make a point was._

_His dad hovers like an overprotective yellow caterpillar for the next week._

_Izuku and his classmates get very used to turning a corner and finding Izuku’s dad watching them._

 

Exams… were not fun. Izuku found himself paired up with Bakugou against All Might, and it was clear that Bakugou resented him for his mere presence. They come to blows as soon as the exam starts, because Bakugou can’t see past his own ass and hates Izuku for some reason he can’t fathom. But in the end, it’s Bakugou who threw the first blow, and the second, and the third, and the forth, and Izuku, after recovering his wits after the second hit, is barely able to block the explosive blonde’s following attacks. All Might comes after them, and it’s clear that he’s disappointed in their performance so far. Izuku knows better than to attack, but Bakugou thinks he’s the best and everyone is a lesser being meant only to be stepping stones. God, Izuku dislikes (he wants to hate him, but his dad is fond of reminding him that hatred can lead to bad decisions that can leave a person tarred with the reputation as a villain, so dislike it is, even though Izuku thinks it’s understating) the blonde, he reminds him to much of Endeavor. But the teachers had paired Izuku and Bakugou for this exam, so they have no choice.

When Bakugou attacks, Izuku follows a beat later, but after the second time All Might smashes his silhouette into the concrete, Izuku gives it up as a bad job. In the face of overwhelming power, run for your life and bring back friends and hope overwhelming numbers will do the job. Izuku gets thrown across the simulated cityscape by All Might, and holy fuck his back-aljkghfjdghakjdfhg

He has trained for flexibility because his dad said it was a good skill to have butkaghdkjzlfhdgjh

 

_His back should not bend that wayOMG_

_owowowOWOWoWooooOWWW_

 

And Lady Luck must be smiling on them, because the gate is RIGHT THERE. They pass, but it’s clear All Might is not happy with his showing. Izuku is in too much pain to care. He’s only still conscious because he’s a little green ball of spite.

Recovery Girl is not pleased with All Might’s use of force.

Bakugou is suffering from multiple broken bones and Izuku has a ruptured spleen and spinal damage-

 

_“You nearly broke his spine, Toshinori!!! Do you realize what that means?! You could have paralyzed the boy!!!” Recovery girl roared furiously at the sickly hero who was swimming in his overlarge costume. “Why on earth would you ever use that amount of force on a student you reckless, moronic, fool!!!!”_

 

Izuku’s dad looks like he’s ready to commit murder, and only Present Mic holding him back stops him from leaping at All Might and clawing his eyes out.

“You should rethink just why you’re teaching here, and you can either adjust your methods to be more considerate to the children’s health or you can retire before your methods get these children killed,” the seething words leave All Might pale and shaken.

Defensive irritation burbles in Izuku’s chest briefly on All Might’s behalf, but there’s no adequate rebuttal to his father’s words. Because it is true, All Might’s methods, coupled with his inexperience meant that students could and did get badly hurt. Case in point, All Might’s failure to stop Bakugou outright trying to kill him in the first Hero vs Villain simulation at the start of the year, and Izuku and Bakugou’s current injuries.

 

_“All of you will be coming to the camp. Those who failed though, will be attending remedial lessons during free time.”_

 

The Wild Wild Pussycats are loads of fun when they’re first introduced to the students. A big guy like Tora making that cutesy pose is just plain hilarious. And then they all drop all the students off the side of the cliff. Izuku stops himself shouting indignantly at his father in favor of shrieking wordlessly as he falls.

 

_“Such a cute kitten~” Mandalay purred._

_“My kitten,” his dad agreed._

_Izuku glared wearily at his dad over his food._

_“That little pout!” Ragdoll squealed._

_Izuku wonders if he should be insulted by how smug his dad looks while the pussycats fawn over how cute he is. He’s not a kitten!_

 

The camp is under attack. Izuku cannot-Muscular talks a lot, but he’s overconfident. Izuku slams his father’s quirk down, locking Muscular’s ability to use his quirk, which made bringing him down slightly easier. Ok, that was an over-exaggeration. It made bringing down Muscular very easy, because once his quirk was Nullified, Izuku went for his eyes. Being so close to a villain, one who was enraged brought its own risks so Izuku went fell back on old lessons. Eyes, throat, solar plexus, groin. Muscular went down like a sack of bricks. Izuku grabbed the villain by the belt and tossed him into the cloud of gas just in case.

“Dad was right,” Izuku panted as he lifted Kouta into his arms, heedless of the blood covering his hands, and ran for the lodge, “People are way too dependant on their quirks these days.”

“Izuku!” His father’s face when he laid eyes on him was a riot of emotions. “Are you hurt?!”

“Not mine,” Izuku panted, “Muscular. I’m not hurt.”

“Get into the lodge,” his dad ordered, “We need to-”

“No!” His father’s impatient glare had his words tumbling over each other, “Mandalay needs to know! The rest of us, we’re distractions! They’re after Bakugou.”

His dad lets him go. Izuku can’t help but feel like the last “be safe” sounds somehow like a “goodbye”...

 

_Time is muzzy and rocks back and forth in strange intervals. One for All chews through the drugs the Villains pump through his veins at a remarkable rate. But everytime he gains a semblance of lucidity, someone or something jabs him in the neck and he goes under again. Sometimes he can hear someone-Ragdoll? Bakugou? Screaming at their captors…_

_“...so cute! I hope Sensei lets me have you! You’d look so beautiful covered in blood…”_

_The world swims in and out of focus…_

_P A I N_

_PaIn_

_pAIn_

_A cool balm spreads over the burning…_

_He thinks he hears All Might’s voice saying, “I have come with your pizza!”_

_Huh._

_He can feel himself being passed back and forth, flopping around like an understuffed doll._

_What’s happening now?_

_It’s very loud…_

_“Izuku!”_

_“Midoriya!”_

_“Midoriya!”_

_“Deku!”_

_Who? His eyes burn. There is slime on his skin, sliding up toward his face. He’s so tired..._

_Hands. On his arms. Around his waist._

_What?_

 

Izuku wakes slowly, muzzily, he opens his eyes and snaps them shut again with a groan.

There is a shuffling. A warm hand presses against his forehead.

“Izuku?”

“Dad...”

His dad looks awful, his hair is even messier than usual and looks like it hasn’t been washed. And the bags under his eyes are darker than ever.

“Thank god…”

Izuku has always thought of his father as a strong person.

“You’re ok,” his dad says shakily, “I’m so glad…”

But tonight, he looks small, exhausted. He looks very human, leaning over Izuku, big hands on his shoulders as he cries into his hair.

 

-

 

Finite


	12. New Way to Breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five years after graduation, Hizashi is in a bit of a pinch. His radio career is going nowhere fast, and he's having to pull double time as a Hero to make ends meet. When an injury puts his Hero work on hold, Hizashi is forced to sign on as a sidekick to an Husband-Wife Duo in order to eat. 
> 
> In hindsight, that was the best idea he'd ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for Character death.
> 
> Unbetaed: We die like writers.

Five years after graduation, Hizashi is in a bit of a pinch. His radio career is going nowhere fast, no one seems to think he's good for anything but screaming at things and no matter how much energy he pumps into his radio and DJ performances, there is little to no response. It's led to his current predicament, and he's having to pull double time as a Hero to make ends meet. He knows he can go to the Iidas for help, Hizashi's been friends with Tensei through high school and the Iidas treat Hizashi like one of their own sons. Nemuri is studying to get her teaching certification of all things, and Shouta... Last he'd heard, Shouta had left Tenth Flame's Agency, and according to Tensei, he was making a name for himself Underground. Hizashi can't bring himself to impose on his old friends, not when they were out there making names for themselves and... Hizashi doesn't want them to think he's a fuck up, that he can't survive on his own. They'd all parted ways after graduation, swearing that they would help each other out when they needed it, but no one ever asked, and no one ever offered, and Hizashi refuses to be the first to admit defeat

"You ok?" Hizashi glanced up at the sound of a familiar voice, and sure enough, there's Shouta hanging upside down from his capture weapon from a lamp.

"I'm great!" Hizashi forces himself to smile, "It's been a while, Eraser!!!" Something must have bled through, because there is a furrow between Shouta's eyes.

"Yeah," Shouta drops to his feet and the length of the capture weapon loops around his shoulders and he stalks toward Hizashi, each step easy and ponderous like a jungle cat. "Midnight says you've been avoiding us."

"Eeehhhh?! What gave you that idea?!!!!"

"The fact you normally never shut up?" Hizashi is sure Shouta is glowering at him, but he can't tell because the other hero is wearing his goggles, "Or what about the fact that I'm doing all the talking right now when it's usually the other way around?"

"M-maybe I have nothing to say?!"

Shouta stops a few steps away from him and pulls off his goggles, letting them fall into the folds of his capture weapon. Shouta looks as tired as ever, but there is a crease between his eyes. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine!"

Shouta opens his mouth to retort, but a scream pierces the night. Both heroes are off like a shot in the direction of the sound. Hizashi sees three other heroes converge on the square the screaming came from. It takes only a sweep of his eyes to see that Silke will reach the victim before him, closely followed by Davine. Despite knowing he can't afford to turn his nose up at the money, small as the percentage of his cut at such a minor scene would be, Hizashi forgoes crowd control and slips into the crowd and returns to his patrol route. He tries to convince himself that he is not running away from Shouta.

_Dark eyes follow him as Hizashi vanishes into the gloom. Shouta's lips press into a thin line, but he makes no attempt to follow. Something was troubling Hizashi, but pressing him would only make the Voice Hero clam up. For all his faults, Hizashi was very good at saying nothing at all when he was forced into conversation when not in the mood for speech. Shouta let him go._

\-----

Two months later, Hizashi knows that he's in trouble. He's been avoiding Shouta at crime scenes, choosing to laugh and go in opposite direction instead of stopping to chat. He's falling back and sliding back into the crowd instead of entering the fray when he sees one of his old friends dealing with a villain, and the effects of the avoidance are showing in the impact to his back account. He's living in a crappy one room apartment with no kitchen or bathroom, and he's eating mostly fruit and fast food to save on cash, but he's running low, and if something doesn't happen, fast, he's not going to be able to make rent. If he fails to make rent, he'll be evicted.

As if that were not bad enough, he can't go out on patrol, not with broken ribs and a shattered knee. If he can't patrol, he can't catch villains, and if he can't catch villains, he can't make money. Hizashi's only bright spot is that his medical bills are covered by his insurance. He'd never be able to pay them out of pocket. But now he's out of money and out of commission. Hizashi stares at the application on his computer and sighs. It's not what he wants, but a Hero Agency would be the easiest way for him to build his funds back up. A regular salary would take a weight off his shoulders. He doesn't want to be a sidekick, but really, at this point, there is no other option. Hizashi is not ready to throw in the towel or face his friends as a failure of a hero. He clicks the submit button.

\-----

"To be honest," the green haired heroine said quietly, "Your quirk, on the surface, is not suited to our work, but Dragon felt that you had other merits. Because of your injuries, we can't test you on the field, but we're willing to give you a chance." Orchid Mantis smiled as Dragon breathed out a whisp of smoke beside her.

"Please bear with the menial work we'll be putting you to while you heal," Dragon smirked, "But you get it, right? Dragon and Mantis Agency is, after all, an Underground Agency."

Hizashi does not get the chance to respond, because a boy, maybe around eight years old, with the same green hair as Orchid Mantis rushes into the office.

"Mom! Dad! A new hero just debuted! Her name is Aqua and her quirk looks like it's aquakinesis!"

"That's wonderful, boyo!" Dragon said cheerfully, "Is that all you saw about her?"

"She's prone to standing in one spot, and uses hand and arm movements to move the water. She's probably that girl who came in third in the Sports Festival last year! If that's her, then she's still open on her left side."

"Well spotted!" Orchid Mantis smiled, "Here, Izuku, this is our new sidekick."

"Present Mic!" the boy, Izuku bounced over, "I heard your debut five years ago. I could feel the vibrations from your amplification that night! Your quirk is incredible!"

Hizashi blinked. Then smiled sheepishly, "If you heard my screaming at five in the morning, then I still have a long way to go! Thank you for the compliment, kid. I've been working on amplifying lower tones though."

\-----

Within two months of signing him on, Orchid Mantis and Dragon dropped by his apartment, but after seeing the dump he lived in, the two heroes insisted on him sleeping in the apartment attached to the office. As a result, Hizashi is saving money on the cost of rent, and that money went into replacing his hero equipment and updating his directional speaker. The new equipment made quite a bit of difference in his work, the new speaker is more streamlined and has both less bulk and weight. Hizashi is rediscovering the more acrobatic maneuvers that he'd used in high school because he's no longer at risk of getting concussed or weighted down by his own equipment.

On another note, he also learns that Mantis Orchid was a classmate of Endeavor's and that the #2 Hero all but pisses his pants in terror when he has to work with her.

\-----

Hizashi learns about the Cafe that serves Underground Heroes six months later when he is recovered. Mantis and Dragon show him how to fill out the paperwork creating a secondary identity that serves as a buffer between Underground Heroes and their civilian identities over the most indulgent western style breakfast he's ever eaten. Hizashi obediently fills out the paperwork as instructed, even though he thinks it's a waste of time. He's not aiming to become underground even if he's a sidekick to an Underground Duo right now.

Once the papers are filed, Hizashi will be two different people: Yuuno Takeshi, the Underground Sonic Hero Impulse and Yamada Hizashi, the Aboveground Voice Hero Present Mic.

Years down the line, Hizashi will be glad for this, because that original false identity is what saves his life.

\-----

A year later, and Hizashi's made leaps and bounds as a hero. Orchid Mantis and Dragon are slave drivers, and their son has a mind keener than the edge of any scalpel. It takes all of Hizashi's cunning to keep up with the husband and wife duo and he's just as likely to be relegated to babysitting as he is to be sent out for information gathering purposes. Hizashi no longer runs into his friends on patrol, his patrols take place during the day, in plainclothes, and the one time he ran into Shouta at the corner store, he gets the feeling the other man is worried for him. By the third time he encounters Shouta during the day, Hizashi thinks that maybe Shouta is under the impression that Hizashi's given up Heroism.

Hizashi is twenty five and two years into his partnership with Orchid Mantis and Dragon when the two Underground Heroes are killed in a top secret mission. He was left behind to hold down the fort and take care of Izuku when the news comes in. Mantis and Dragon's lawyers inform Hizashi that he's been given custody of their son as was their request in their will, and the Agency is now his. Izuku is inconsolable, and Hizashi suddenly realizes he's not ready for any of this. He is so not ready for this, but there is a handful of local heroes, just your average neighborhood hero, not well known, and more of a mom and pop type, who step in to help out. They know Hizashi as the sidekick to what they think is another mom and pop neighborhood hero duo, and Hizashi is so, so very grateful to them. He's not sure how he'd ever have managed without their help.

He's somewhere between hero and student and now he's responsible for a pre-adolescent quirkless kid with bullying issues. Hizashi does what he can and becomes one of the few Underground Heroes who work in the day, and tries not to screw up his mentors' kid in the process of raising him. He enrolls Izuku in Akido Classes at a local dojo in a bid to ensure that what Mantis and Dragon taught the kid isn't lost. Four months after the Midoriyas' passing, Hizashi attends a parent conference and sees firsthand how the teachers look the other way at the bullying and deliberately sabotage Izuku in the most blatant show of quirk discrimination Hizashi has ever seen, he's had enough. Izuku only successfully hid this from his parents with Hizashi's help, and Hizashi did not interfere beyond dropping hints to his employers, trusting that they would stop the mess. But Mantis and Dragon are both dead, and Hizashi is responsible for the kid now.

Hizashi realizes that Tensei has the entirely wrong idea of why Hizashi has apparently dropped out of the Heroic Scene after their conversation in the office of Team Idaten. But what is done is done, and Izuku takes the entrance exams for Soumei Middle School that year, and passes with flying colors as Hizashi expected. Hizashi speaks with the Agency's lawyers on the matter, and they're all more than happy to take on the job. Mantis Orchid and Dragon-that is, Midoriya Inko and Midoriya Hisashi-had a habit of bringing their son to work with them, and there was not a single soul in the agency who was not wrapped around the child's fingers. After Hizashi's description of what he'd seen, there was not a single soul who wasn't outraged by the treatment Izuku had suffered.

That summer break, Hizashi sued Daisan Elementary School for child neglect and quirk discrimination. Between damning nationwide statistics and the testimony of the students, the lawsuit led to the investigation that revealed that most teachers had failed to keep up with their subject and some were not certified at all. In fact, one teacher even had forged documents. Hizashi's victory was practically guaranteed.

\-----

Principal Nedzu asks him to attend a meeting regarding the spread of Illegal Quirk Enhancement Drugs. Unfortunately, the day of the meeting falls on the same day as the last Court Hearing on the bullying case. Hizashi sends his apologies that he will miss the meeting, and Nedzu sends him the documents and transcripts from the meeting.

\-----

Hizashi finds by sheer accident, a bar whose clientele was almost exclusively villains in Kamino. He's suddenly very glad for his new status as an Underground Hero. He can't imagine what might have happened if he'd stumbled into the bar and had been as well known and successful as he'd hoped to be at this age back in High School. But he's here now. He might as well take the chance.

He goes back to the Agency and prepares the necessary paperwork.

It's his third visit (fourth if you count when he first stumbled in) when the bartender asks for his name. Hizashi doesn't hesitate. He's prepared for this.

"Yui."

"What's your quirk, Yui?" a pale haired boy asked.

"Intonation," Hizashi replied easily.

Hizashi leaves the bar arm in arm on his ninth visit with a notorious Yakuza enforcer.

(( _He doesn't see the dark haired figure double take from a nearby roof, turn and stare after his retreating figure. He doesn't see eyes gleaming red behind yellow goggles or the dark curls that fly upward or the strands of capture weapon that floats menacingly. But even if he had, it wouldn't have changed anything. Hizashi is a man on a mission, and a gathering place for villains is the perfect place to gather the information that will cement his place as a hero in his own right, rather than as the bereaved sidekick left to care for his partners' child, among Underground Heroes.))_

\-----

Izuku attending Soumei Middle School almost throws a wrench into Hizashi's plans because it means he'll be near Tenya, which means Tensei now has a direct pipeline to Hizashi whenever he wants. It takes some fiddling, but Hizashi manages to finagle himself a pseudo-civilian identity. Tensei wrinkles his nose at the modest furnishings of the Agency, when he comes over to drop off Tenya for a weekend study session with Izuku.

"I can't believe you gave up being a hero to be a secretary," the Engine Hero said. "Really, Hizashi, what happened to being a radio personality?"

"It just happened," Hizashi admitted, "But I'm glad I did." There is a shout, and Hizashi and Tensei glance out the window to where Tenya is chopping at air, presumably scolding Izuku for some mistake. "I wouldn't have Izuku otherwise."

Tensei smiles, "Who is the doting one now, Hizashi?"

"Shut up, Tensei."

"Serious!" Tensei said, "It's a relief though. Shouta was starting to think you'd run afoul of organized crime since he kept seeing you in areas where they gathered."

"Sorry, sorry!" Hizashi laughed, "I'll apologize to him for making him worry when I see him."

"You better!"

\-----

Hizashi meets secretly with Principle Nedzu when he's 28 to discuss the possibility of taking on an intern for Dragon and Mantis Agency. Nedzu gives him a list of twenty students from all four departments to choose from.

Six months later, he opens a bakery next to the Agency as a cover for a fourth identity: Terada Aki. The Union of Underground Heroes have red-flagged him as a hero at risk, because three new identities in four years, when his own reports show that he's often undercover in a den of villains? Hizashi wonders what his old friends would do if he tells them in all honesty that he's constantly afraid for his life now.

Izuku is absolutely thrilled about having a bakery next door though. Hizashi thinks it's cute how the new staff in the bakery are absolutely in love with Izuku and stuff him with tidbits. In the meantime, Tensei teases Hizashi and Izuku about getting fat.

Hizashi takes on a sidekick, a young woman called Ruby, whose quirk is called Wallflower, whose parents ran a bakery in Kyoto, and it's hilarious to see Izuku's school boy crush on her. Ruby, the absolute godsend, takes her partner's ward's infatuation in stride.

\-----

"Yo! Shouta!"

Shoulders covered in black fabric tensed. The dark haired hero did not respond.

"What's with the cold shoulder, Shouta?" Hizashi moved to grasp his old friend's shoulder, but Shouta shifted, ducking away. He turned to face Hizashi, eyes gleaming red. Hizashi stopped moving. "Shouta?"

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"I saw you. With Takaoka Akira."

"Shou-"

"Takaoka of all people. Hizashi, what were you doing with a known villain?!"

Hizashi stared at Shouta, perplexed. "How did you even-"

"Don't change the subject. Why?"

"Shouta, you're not making sense."

"I don't make sense?!" Shouta reached out, "You..."

"Shouta." HIzashi caught Shouta's hand gently, "Why are you asking me this?"

"Why were you with a villain Hizashi?"

Hizashi sighed and let go of Shouta's hand. "I don't have a choice, Shouta. Even I have to eat."

"If you needed help, why didn't you ask?"

"You say that like I had a choice."

"There's always a choice."

Hizashi's smile was bitter. "Not always."

The skin around Shouta's eyes are tense. "Hizashi if you need-"

Hizashi lays a finger on Shouta's lips, silencing him. Green eyes flick to the side as another figure slides into a dark alley. Shouta's head turns just the slightest bit, following Hizashi's line of sight.

"Hold that thought," Hizashi murmured, and he leaves, following the figure. He doesn't look back to see if Shouta is following him.

(( _Shouta doesn't follow him. Hizashi isn't sure if he's disappointed or not, but he's gotten the information he needed.))_

\-----

(( _Hizashi receives a text from Shouta, "Are you at least being safe?"_

_Hizashi responds with, "I'm always careful."_

_Shouta does not respond.))_

\-----

"Tensei I screwed up."

_"Hizashi, it's three in the morning, what the hell?"_

"Tensei, I ran into Shouta at the corner store, and somehow... I might have... accidentally? Convinced him that I'm in organized crime now."

_"Hizashi. How?!"_

"It was an accident, ok?! But in the same breath, I need your help."

_"Oh. My. God. Are you calling because you need me to post bail for you?"_

"No. But the Agency need some extra heroes to take down a child trafficking ring."

_"Holy shit, Hizashi. How soon?"_

"They're gonna auction off the kids this weekend."

" _Hizashi you idiot! That's in three days!"_

"I'm not the one planning it!"

(( _The child trafficking ring is taken down in a joint operation between Team Idaten and Dragon and Mantis Agency. Hizashi takes Tensei, Tenya, and Izuku to dinner to celebrate, but the lack of Shouta, the knowledge that Hizashi may have accidentally severed ties with one of his best friends sits heavy in the back of his mind._ ))

\-----

Hizashi takes Shouta to a cat cafe for his 29th birthday. The atmosphere between them is tense now, there is none of the easygoing camaraderie they used to have. Hizashi rather misses it.

Shouta always opens their greeting the same way now though, "Are you safe?"

Hizashi wonders what Shouta will do if Hizashi ever answers truthfully that he has just spent the Saturday morning in a bar with a League of Villains that was recruiting for a major operation. Hizashi was not approached for the operation since Yui is a secretary, one who is disillusioned by the state of society, but does not have a strong enough quirk to do anything about it. Yui has a son he has to think about first and foremost, and this "Sensei" has declared him off limits. Hizashi isn't sure how he feels about a Villain sympathizing with him about the hardships of raising an adolescent boy, but one look at Shigaraki Tomura is enough to convince him that "Sensei" may or may not be sincere.

Hizashi wonders what Shouta will do if he tells him in all honesty that his life now hangs on a knife edge.

All melancholy thoughts get thrown out the window when Hizashi and Shouta walk past an electronics store, and the TVs show a villain incident in the business district. Hizashi screeches in horror when he sees his ward run toward the blond boy caught in the grasp of the sludge villain. He's only peripherally aware of Shouta activating his quirk and stealing away his voice before he can amplify, he's too caught up in the live broadcast as his ward gets sucked into the villain's body. Then All Might appears to save the boys. Hizashi's knees wobble in relief and Shouta is there, sturdy and immovable, his arms around his shoulders, holding him upright.

"I'm going to kill him!!!" Hizashi groans into the folds of Shouta's capture weapon, "That reckless brat!!!"

Shouta hums thoughtfully. "That uniform is Soumei Middle School's isn't it? Tenya goes there too, doesn't he?"

"Was supposed to go to Orudera," Hizashi sighed, straightening, "But the teachers were awful! Tensei helped me pull some strings." Hizashi completely misses the way Shouta tenses at the mention of Tensei. "'scuse me, Shouta. I have a ward to ground."

(( _Shouta watches Hizashi walk away from him, long leggy strides eating up the distance, putting  an entire universe worth of space between them. They're moving in separate circles now, villain and hero, civilian and teacher, foster father and bachelor. But Shouta can't bear to let go, won't let go until the day comes when Hizashi, surprisingly cunning and slippery Hizashi, his oldest and dearest friend, slips up and is behind bars. Maybe he won't let go even then.))_

\-----

Hizashi arrives at home to find Izuku and a tall, lanky blonde in the living room. Hizashi frowns. He knows the guy on sight, Yagi Toshinori is famous among Underground Heroes, he's All Might's sickly secretary, and the only reason why All Might's paperwork gets filed on time. There's a betting pool about him, that most likely he has a hero license. Hizashi would be worried about the presence of All Might's secretary had he not known just  what Izuku had been up to earlier, so maybe this was just All Might's way of making sure the minors caught up in the mess would make it home safe? The nervous looks on Izuku and Yagi's face tell a different story though.

What he learns from that meeting shakes Hizashi to the core.

Hizashi has a minor breakdown that night, after All Might has left and Izuku has gone to bed.

Hizashi is undercover in the organization led by the man who had reduced the Number One Hero to a shadow of what he once was. All Might wants Hizashi's ward, his foster son, to be his successor, an act that would paint a target on Izuku's back for the rest of his life.

He can’t protect Izuku from this. If Hizashi is found out, kind, sweet, innocent, quirkless Izuku will be targeted simply because he is Hizashi’s ward. Izuku who has no quirk to give him a fighting chance.

\-----

(( _Shouta wakes up to a cryptic text from Hizashi, "I'm going to die." Shouta scrambles to his feet and flings open the door of his apartment, and there is Hizashi, looking lost and tired._

_"Hizashi?"_

_"I might not manage without dying, Shouta," Hizashi's voice is hysterical and shaking._

_"Tell me what you need," Shouta murmurs. "I'll help you."_

_"Just..." Hizashi winds his arms around Shouta's waist. "Just be here for a while."_

_“That’s fine. I’m right here.” Shouta backs them both into the apartment, whispering soothingly to Hizashi the entire way. Shouta doesn’t know the whole story, but he gets the gist; That Hizashi is in over his head and is scared for his ward._

_Shouta doesn’t know what he can do to get them both out of the situation short of witness protection, and he know Hizashi is stubborn enough to not accept that as a solution._

_Shouta wakes up the next morning to an empty bed. He texts Hizashi, "Are you safe?" Hizashi does not respond.))_

\-----

A week after the first meeting with All Might, Hizashi  gives his permission for his ward to be mentored by the Number One Hero. He tells Izuku to text Yagi-san, and Izuku looks at Hizashi as if he’d hung the sun in the sky for that.

Hizashi feels only a yawning pit of despair opening at his feet.

This is the only way he can keep Izuku safe-the only way Izuku may have a fighting chance if worst comes to worst.

And if Izuku gets into Yuuei, Hizashi knows that all the teachers in Yuuei would die for their students. As the child of a pair of pro heroes; both deceased, and the ward of an Underground Hero flagged as, “high risk undercover,” Izuku would be taken in by his homeroom teacher if something happened to Hizashi. There was no place safer for Izuku. Even if Izuku didn’t make it into Yuuei, with All Might of all people as his Mentor, Izuku would be one of the best protected children in the city.

It’s a damn bad idea to go on patrol in his current mental state. But Hizashi goes anyway.

He has an obligation to fulfill, and he can’t bring himself to just haul the two interns-students both-out of bed to cover his patrol.

And it ends predictably badly.

\-----

Hizashi doesn’t make it all the way home. He’s battered and beaten but the criminals, a pair of second rate killers for hire, were safely in the hands of the police. But everything hurts, he’s bleeding sluggishly from a stab wound in his back and he’s mildly concussed and he really should see a doctor. But Hizashi is _fine_.

He hears the _thwip_ and _snap_ of fabric abruptly pulling taut and the sound of displaced air behind him as two feet hit the ground. Hizashi groans out loud. He knows _exactly_ what he looks like to Shouta, especially after his little breakdown the other night.

“Hizashi?” Shouta’s voice was low and worried. “What happened?!”

“I’m fine, Shouta,” Hizashi gave the other hero a smile that was more of a grimace. “It takes more than a common hitman to stop me.”

“A _hitman?!_ ” Shouta shouts, and continues more quietly when Hizashi winces, “Hizashi, you need a doctor.”

“No, I need sleep.”

“Hizashi, there is a _knife_ in your back.”

Hizashi blinks muzzily. “Oh. That’s what it was….”

“Oh my _god_ Hizashi.”

“Idaten’s nearby?”

Shouta sighed. “Yeah. Come on,” he said, slinging one of Hizashi’s arms over his shoulders. “Come on, lean on me. Let’s have Tensei shout at you for a while.”

“Can’t let Izu see me like this,” Hizashi slurred, “Should be studying for exams… Need to get him into Yuuei. Sensei’ll keep’im safe there...”

“Yuuei, huh?”

\-----

(( _Izuku panics a little when Tensei calls him and lets him know that Hizashi is at Idaten. Izuku promises to stay home, to wait for Tensei to come pick him up tomorrow before school. Izuku_ **_knows_ ** _his guardian, his foster father is a hero. He also knows that none of Hizashi’s friends know this. And that makes Hizashi’s position, taking care of a Legacy, being undercover, and juggling his normal Hero work and the Bakery, almost untenable._

_Izuku wants his guardian to be safe, to not have to work so much, he wants for Hizashi to be able to be Present Mic again. Impulse takes too much of a toll on him. Izuku can barely remember the last time Hizashi was a loudmouth who screamed his enemies into submission. Wasn’t it back when he first joined his parent’s agency?_

_Izuku loves his guardian, Hizashi is like the dorky uncle who tries his best and trips over his feet while awkwardly trying to befriend everyone and make people happy. But that isn’t the Hizashi who has taken care of Izuku since his parents died. The current Hizashi, whom Izuku loves to bits, is a man who grew up too quick, who had responsibility thrust on him too much too soon, who is not nearly as quick to laughter as the Present Mic of Izuku’s memories. This one is grim and tired, and his sonic attacks are usually below or above the ranges humans can hear._

_Izuku misses the Hizashi of his youth. That Hizashi was the one who liked to tell stories about how Eraserhead tripped over his capture weapon or accidentally tied himself up with it in training, about how Ingenium once tripped over Principal Nedzu because he’d been dared to navigate the school blindfolded, and how a multitude of other heroes in their generation made absolute fools of themselves back in training.))_

\-----

(( _Toshinori feels utterly wrecked with guilt when he hears about Impulse being injured from young Midoriya. It’s his fault, he was the one who wanted to make the younger man’s ward his successor after all. A good hero could have died because Toshinori wanted his child for successor, and he was injured because he was rightfully worried about the target Toshinori was painting on young Midoriya’s back. Toshinori is determined that Yamada-kun will not come to harm on the clock again because he was worried for Izuku. He throws himself into preparing lesson plans, training menus, and devours materials for his online courses for teaching. Nedzu was willing to take him without certifications, and the media would overlook All Might’s lack of certification for now, but if Toshinori was going to do this, he was going to do it right. He would be the best teacher he could be, for the sake of young Midoriya’s education and Yamada-kun’s peace of mind._

 

 _No one could have known that this would have far reaching consequences…._ ))

\-----

A week before the Entrance Exams, Yagi calls Hizashi and tells him that Izuku’s preliminary training is nearly complete. Hizashi arrives at Dagobah Beach to watch as Yagi transfers his quirk to Izuku.

“Just clench your ass cheeks together, and think of what you have to protect,” Yagi was saying as he puffed up into what Hizashi had taken to calling in his head, “BuffMight” form, “and SMASH!!!” The blonde threw his punch in the direction of the open ocean. The resultant shockwave blasted the water apart, revealing the sandy beach floor beneath.

“Now you try,” All Might grinned, turning to Izuku even as the ocean rushed back to refill the displaced area.

“Right!” Izuku bounded forward to stand beside All Might. Red lighting crawled up Izuku’s body, and the air shifted as the power gathered.

Hizashi had a bad feeling…”Izu-”

Izuku threw the punch. The sound of bones being pulverized split the air and Izuku screamed as his arm went limp and his shoulder sagged in alarming ways.

Hizashi lunged forward. “Izuku!”

“It hurts! Zashi, it _hurts!!!_ ”

Hizashi wrapped his arms around the teen, cautious of the shattered arm and shoulder. “I know, little bean, I know. Let’s get you to a hospital and all fixed up, ok?”

“It _hurts!”_

“Don’t just stand there, All Might!” Hizashi barked. “Do you know if Recovery Girl has the day off?!”

Yagi jolts, and fumbles for his phone, “Oh. She’s-it’s her day off, but I have her number…”

\------

Recovery Girl, it turns out, is at Yuuei. Cementoss meets All Might and Hizashi at the gate with a temporary pass for Hizashi and Izuku, and escorts Hizashi into the school as All Might rushes Izuku to the infirmary. Thankfully, One for All did not actually do as much damage to Izuku’s bones and joints as Hizashi feared. After his shoulder is popped back into place and the bones-broken in six places-are pushed into place, Recovery Girl has Izuku fixed up in no time. The teenager dozes against Hizashi’s side as he holds his ward close, deeply relieved.

Hizashi’s not sure how he’d ever explain to Inko and Hisashi in the afterlife if his decision to let Izuku become All Mights Successor had resulted in the boy being permanently crippled. The two would probably find ways to return from the dead to kill him!

Hizashi carries Izuku on his back when it’s time to go. The healing’s left the teen drained of stamina, and despite Yagi’s offer to carry him, Hizashi refused.

“You shouldn’t use your time frivolously,” the Voice Hero said, “Think of the example you’re setting for him.”

“We need to find a way for him to use his quirk without breaking himself,” Yagi said finally as they crossed the courtyard toward the gates.

“Gee, ya think?”

(( _Tired dark eyes watch them from the window above. A dark haired woman strides over to stand beside him._

_“Are you jealous?”_

_“I think he’s so determined to protect the boy, he’s lost his way,” Shouta says curtly._

_“That wasn’t what I asked,” Nemuri purses her lips. She watches the trio as they step over the threshold, past the gate and off campus. “They look like a family.”_

_“That’s not any of my concern.”_

_“But Shouta~” Nemuri whines as Shouta walked away. “I said, Shouta! Hey!”))_

\------

Hizashi whines pitiably as Yagi describes Izuku’s display in the entrance exam. The emaciated man laughed cheerfully as Hizashi cradles Izuku like he was ten years old again, clutching his mentors’ child like he thought the boy was going to run forward and put his life in danger _again_.

“Zashi~” Izuku whined, “I’m fine! Recovery Girl fixed me right up!”

“You can’t rely on Recovery Girl forever!!!” Hizashi wailed, “she’s not getting any younger!!!” Hizashi let go of Izuku and said sternly, “You’re going to spend this time training. We need you to be able to use a certain amount of your quirk without breaking your bones before school starts. If you explode your body every time, the teachers will expel you on the spot.”

Izuku nodded, his face determined. “Ok!”

“All Might, I leave this child in your care.”

“Please leave him to me.”

Hizashi’s smile was sad and relieved all at once.

\------

Izuku’s first day of school at Yuuei is equal parts a relief and a terror.

Tensei grins at Hizashi as he bustles around the office, moving things around and generally being a jumpy parent.

“Tenya’s with him, he’ll be fine!”

“Izuku is a legacy of two underground heroes who were murdered for their association with All Might. His quirk came in so late that he literally only had a week before the Entrance Exams to become accustomed to it! He’s still breaking bones when he tries to use it! Tenya can’t help him with that!”

“Seriously, Hizashi, calm down.” Tensei grinned, “Let’s go out for a while. Take your mind off the kid and his new quirk.”

\------

Izuku and Tenya are both in 1-A, Hizasi learns at the end of the day. Shouta is their homeroom teacher. Hizashi can’t quite put into words how _relieved_ he is.

Shouta can take care of Izuku. Izuku would be safe in Shouta’s care.

If Hizashi is a little more easy going when his patrol route leads him to crime scenes that intersects with other heroes that night, no one mentions it.

\------

 _“For your own safety, Yui-san, please stay away from the bar for the next week,”_ Kurogiri had told him.

Hizashi had agreed. Of course he had. Any sane person in his place would have done the same.

The next day, Izuku tells him about how the reporters outside had invaded the school. Hizashi can’t help but feel a twinge of concern when he stops by Yuuei on patrol that night and sees the damaged gate.

Principal Nedzu arrives with a smile and an invitation for tea. Hizashi is concerned enough to accept. Later that night, Hizashi returns home with assurances that the school would keep Izuku safe, but Hizashi cannot shake the sense of foreboding.

\------

Hizashi is with several other Underground Heroes wrapping up a rare daytime raid on a drug cartel when his phone rings. His heart leaps into his throat when hears from Principal Nedzu that the USJ had been attacked and Izuku was injured. Pacifica offers to finish his paperwork for him, and Hizashi thanks her profusely and convinces one of the officers present to drive him to Yuuei.

As Hizashi rushes to the on campus hospital, he’s very aware that he’s still in full gear, and if Shouta has mentioned his suspicions to anyone, then it looks rather… Well… Damning. But it doesn’t matter. Izuku is hurt.

Izuku was _attacked_ and he wasn’t there to _protect_ him.

Principal Nedzu stepped in Hizashi’s path and the blonde hero skidded to a stop to avoid running over the Principal.

“I’m glad you were able to make it.I saw your raid this afternoon. Excellent work as usual, Present Mic. ”

“It’s Impulse in this form, Sensei,” Hizashi responds gently.

“Of course, Impulse. Will you be visiting Eraserhead while you’re at it?”

“Eraserhead was injured?”

“He took severe injuries while defending the children.”

“Sounds like he fought hard.”

“He did.”

“I should visit him since I’m here already. I can thank him for taking care of Izuku.”

\------

Izuku is completely dwarfed by the bed. He is covered in bandages from head to toe, and Recovery Girl tells him that Izuku had a cracked skull, multiple fractured ribs, and broken his arms and legs in three seperate places. On top of that, he had soft tissue damage and a ruptured spleen. All of it had been fixed, of course, but Hizashi is _livid._

How did a child get all these injuries?

How was it possible that Izuku would be the only student out of twenty to be hurt like this?

He'd  done everything in his power to ensure Izuku made it into Yuuei because he'd thought he would be safe here. How had villains managed to pierce the heart of one of the safest facilities in Tokyo?

Hizashi will be getting answers, one way or the other.

“Don’t be rash now,” Recovery Girl’s voice cuts through his thoughts. The elderly hero didn’t so much as flinch as furious green eyes met hers. “Midoriya-chan needs you right now. I don’t know what you do when you’re undercover and I don’t care. All I care about is that you don’t go out there and get yourself killed while there is a little boy in my infirmary that needs you. He’s lost both parents, and you’re all he has left. You can question the villains you work with later when you’re thinking clearly.”

Hizashi pursed his lips and made a tsking sound before taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. “And Yagi-san? Is he in any condition to be answering questions?”

Recovery Girl nodded. “He is. But be kind. He’s taking Midoriya-chan and Aizawa-kun’s conditions hard.”

“I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t,” Hizashi rubbed his hand over his face, “Izuku’s got the man wrapped around his fingers.”

“Go on then,” Recovery Girl shoos him away, “I’ll let you know when Aizawa-kun is able to have visitors.”

\-------

Hizashi wants to scream after his talk with Yagi. He doesn’t blame the man, not at all. But he is very _angry_. The villains had invaded with the intention of killing All Might, and Izuku was injured because he was protecting one of his classmates, and the Noumu had beaten him nearly to death for it. And after all that, All Might had only arrived in time to see not only Izuku’s skull split open by the Noumu like a ripe Melon, but the maiming of one of the children.

Hizashi dearly hopes that Izuku was unconscious by that point, because he knows that his ward will blame himself.

Hizashi walks into the room that Shouta is in, and.

His.

Heart.

Stops.

Shouta is in much the same state as Izuku, but the bandages cover his eyes as well. His arms are in casts, and from the blood seeping out from where the mouth would be, Hizashi realizes that Shouta must be awake, unable to see or move, he’s either furious or terrified, and he’s bitten either his lips or his tongue in a bit to stop himself making a sound.

“Hey, Shouta.” Hizashi forces some levity into his voice. “You look like shit.”

“Za...shi?” Shouta’s voice is raspy and pained.

“Yeah, it’s me,” Hizashi lays a gentle hand on Shouta’s shoulder.

“I.. I Can’t... Can’t see… Zashi…”

“Yeah, they bandaged up your eyes so you won’t strain them. Recovery Girl said they needed to rebuild your orbital floor. There’s no saying how much damage to your eyes will affect your quirk just yet. We’ll have to wait and see.”

“I won’t let them get away with this, Zashi, I swear.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I won’t let-”

“ **_SHouTA._ ** **”** Hizashi channeled his quirk into the lowest tone he could, one he knew reverberated in bones and stole the breath from lungs. Shouta went silent, his entire body seemed to vibrate under Hizashi’s hands. Then in a normal tone of voice, “Why are you apologizing to me?”

“Midoriya.”  
Hizashi stiffens. “Izuku’s fine.”

“I saw-”

“He’s fine. Do you think I would be in here with you if he were otherwise?”

“....No.”

\-------

Hizashi arrives in Yuuei for the Sports Festival dressed from head to toe in metal studded black leather and his hair has been gelled to high heaven in a style he hasn’t worn in well over a decade. He shifts the Directional Speaker around his neck, grumbling at the weight. He’s become so used to the lightweight version that doubles as a mouth guard that’s he’s worn all these years as Impulse that Present Mic seems like a weight on his shoulders. The Directional Speaker sits heavy on his shoulders, like the weight of the secrets he’s kept and the lies he’s told to his friends. Lying by omission is still a lie, and the relationships that come with Present Mic…. Hizashi is not quite used to them anymore. At least, not in the old form that they used to exist in.

Hizashi slides quietly into place, and it’s  a testament to his experience Underground that despite being dressed so gaudily and being not only out in broad daylight, but also in the middle of a crowd, no one notices him.

Watching Izuku break himself over and over is painful. At the end of Izuku’s match with Todoroki, Hizashi slips away. He finds his ward in the infirmary, and is joined later by Yagi. And then by Izuku’s classmates.

(( _“Is your license even still valid?”_

_Hizashi laughed with cheer he didn’t feel. Shouta had gone right back to work almost as soon as the week ended, and it was clear he was in constant pain._

_“Of course it is! Did you think otherwise?”_

_“I haven’t seen any work attributed to you in a while, that’a all. Those things have an expiration date if they go unused you know.”_

_Hizashi would happily pull out his ID to prove it, but his most recent license shows quite clearly that he is not only red flagged as a hero at risk, but that he was supposed to be in deep cover. Shouta would only worry more if he saw it._

_“Don’t worry about it!!! I know!!!”_

_The mistrustful look Shouta sends him cuts Hizashi to the core.))_

\------

(( _Shouta has to double take when he is sorting through the nomination letters from Agencies and Heroes after the Sports Festival. There, in the pile is a missive from Impulse, the hero who had inherited Dragon and Mantis Agency when his partners died, for Midoriya Izuku._

 _Dragon and Mantis have_ **_never_ ** _nominated a student before. Not when the Fire Breathing Dragon and Orchid Mantis were alive, and not after Impulse inherited the Agency. At least, that was how it had always been._

_Until now._

_Shouta wonders what had changed.))_

\------

Hizashi paces like a caged tiger in the time after he receives a text from Izuku. Little more than a location. Considering what was happening in Hosu at the time, it’s all Hizashi can do to not rush over. Even on the fastest train, it would take a day to reach Hosu from Musutafu. All he can do is wait.

\------

Hizashi thinks that his visits to Yuuei because Izuku’s hurt himself, AGAIN, is getting to be too much. Only in this case, it’s because it was a _teacher_ who had put his boy in the infirmary.

After hearing the list of injuries from Recovery Girl, Hizashi stalks out of the infirmary and down to the teacher’s lounge. He hears All Might and Shouta before he sees them. Good.

Hizashi growls, and the doors and windows begin to vibrate, the only warning the occupants got before Hizashi flung the door open.

“Ah!” All Might blanched as he took in Hizashi’s look, dressed, once again in full gear, only it showed signs of a fight with a truly glorious bruise blossoming across his right temple and a cut on his cheek bleeding sluggishly. “Impulse,” All Might said, weakly.

Shouta’s eyes widened and he made a sound akin to a strangled kitten.

“Leave my ward in _your_ hands, All Might?” Hizashi hissed. A little bit of his quirk leaked into his voice, and Hizashi almost violently twisted a knob on his mouthguard when a ceramic teacup creaked alarmingly. “You _said_ you would lay your life on the line to _protect_ him. That’s the only reason why I allowed you to go and paint a massive target on his back. You’re supposed to _protect_ him, not _break his spine!!!”_

“I swear it was an accident!”

“An **_accident?!!!_ ** ” Hizashi snarled, “You call that excessive use of force an **_accident_ ** ?!!! All Might, that was _not_ an accident. That was your favoritism **GONE TOO FAR!!!!** ”

“I do not-”

“You do and you know it,” Hizashi hissed, “Think, you great lug! Would you have used the same amount of force on any other student, say… Tenya?”

“N-no!” All Might looked horrified at the thought. “His body wouldn’t be able to take it!”

“Then why would you use that amount of force on Izuku of all people?”

“He has-”

“One for All, which is _not_ an excuse! He can’t control it yet!!!”

“It was not my int-”

“It doesn’t matter! What matters is that you were supposed to be teaching him, not crippling him! I would suggest, _All Might_ ” Hizashi spat the name with all the venom he could muster, “That you start rethinking your methods. Izuku might be your successor, but he is _my_ ward, the son of _my_  partners entrusted to _me._ If I think for a single moment that you will put Izuku at risk, I will ban your access to him. Don’t think I won’t.”

Hizashi spun on his heels and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him as he went.

“Take this time to think about why you’ve decided to become a teacher and either quit, or reconsider your curriculum so that it is friendlier to your students before there is a serious accident and you find the blood of a student on your hands,” Hizashi hears Shouta say. The fact that even apathetic Shouta can see All Might’s failings as a teacher-it only fuels Hizashi’s fury.

Hizashi clenches and unclenches his fists as his legs carry him away from the teachers lounge back toward the infirmary. He’ll wait until Izuku wakes before taking him home, but unless All Might gets his act together, Hizashi will not allow that man any closer to his ward than he already was.

\-------

(( _Shouta has to take the time to wrap his mind around the fact that Hizashi is_ **_Impulse. Hizashi is_ ** **_IMPULSE_ ** . _All those years spent thinking that Hizashi had gotten involved in organized crime, when…_ **_Impulse._ ** _It was no secret to the Underground that Impulse had a direct line of access to a villain’s information network. No one knew how he’d managed it, but one thing was very clear: Every time he slipped information to the police or other heroes, he put his life on the line. His life was at constant risk. God, Shouta could hardly breath when he thought of what it meant for Hizashi to be_ **_Impulse._ ** _It put his breakdown last year into perspective._

_But why of all courses… Why an Underground Hero?_

_Most importantly,_ **_why had he kept it secret?_ ** _))_

\------

Nobuyashi Yui was invited to Kamino to see Sensei’s “Changing of the Era,” and so Hizashi made preparations for being undercover for an indeterminate amount of time. Izuku was going to the summer camp, so he asked Shouta to take in the teenager until then. With luck, Hizashi would not have to leave Izuku in Shouta’s care for more than the next two weeks.

He could not have expected what he found in Kamino when he arrives three days later.

\-------

(( _Izuku recognizes Hizashi as soon as he sees him, he knows all of Hizashi’s identities, and Izuku remembers that Nobuyashi Yui’s quirk is supposed to be Intonation. Hizashi had practiced his quirk usage, and with Intonation, as Yui, he could hypnotize a person and implant commands. With the development of Intonation, Hizashi had taught Izuku how to defend himself from it and similar quirks. With this, knowing that his foster father, his guardian is here, even if undercover, it gives him a measure of comfort. He doesn’t acknowledge Hizashi, he’s not going to put his guardian at risk, and likewise, Hizashi doesn’t give a single indication that he’s recognized Izuku, but Izuku knows that Hizashi will immediately lay his life on the line for him if it comes down to it._ ))

\-------

Hizashi is breathless with rage. What is Yuuei doing these days? Were they so overconfident in their abilities, so sure that All Might would be able to stop everything that they simply stopped caring?!

HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE THAT TWO STUDENTS MEANT TO BE SAFE WERE HERE IN THE LAIR OF THE LEAGUE OF VILLAINS?!!!!

WHY WAS IZUKU IN DANGER AGAIN?!!!

He was utterly speechless at the carelessness his alma mater was showing so far. He wanted to cry. He wanted to scream and throw things. He wanted to grab Nedzu and _shake_ the little rodent because how **dare** he break his word that Izuku would be safe in his care?!!! WHAT EVEN WAS SHOUTA DOING?!!! WERE THEY EVEN **TRYING** ANYMORE?!!! He had put all his faith in the school’s ability to keep Izuku safe, but here was his ward, kidnapped, bloodied, and in mortal peril. In. The. Hideout. Of the League. Of. Villains.

Hizashi knows now why they wanted Izuku. Why Izuku kept encountering the League. Sensei is All for One, and he wants One for All back. And Izuku is the most vulnerable of all the bearers of the quirk thus far. Hizashi knows why Sensei wanted Nobuyashi Yui here now, if the torture doesn’t work, Yui would be forced to use Intonation on Izuku in a bid to force him to give away One for All. It was entirely possible that Sensei would have Izuku killed just to further rub the failure in All Might’s face.

Hizashi has to get Izuku away.

He’s already made contact with Ragdoll.

He could leave Bakugou in her care. Izuku was the one being targeted the most heavily. Izuku’s escape had to be the first priority.

As he listens to Izuku scream as Dabi and Shigaraki tortured him under Sensei’s orders, Hizashi makes up his mind. He promised his mentors he would lay his life down to protect their son. He will absolutely do it. The first opening. No matter what. He will get Izuku out even if it costs him his life to do it.

His opening comes the next day. He’s slipped Ragdoll two sets of earplugs with her meal. But Izuku is kept separately from Ragdoll and Bakugou. So when Nobuyashi is brought in to hypnotize Izuku, he slides his hands along lines of Izuku’s face, speaking gently and with an even cadence. Izuku’s eyes are wide and watery, and his tiny whimpers of pain are like little knives in Hizashi’s heart. A little sleight of hand and the earplugs are nestled snugly in Izuku’s ears, and his green hair falls to cover them. Another bit of slight of hand has the cuffs unlocked, and Izuku’s arms fall down, around Hizashi’s shoulders, and clench in his collar like his life depends on it.

“What are you doing?!” Shigaraki roared.

**_“YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!”_ **

Hizashi amplifies like he hasn’t done in a decade. Shigaraki goes down, his body jerking as he is hit by the sonic scream at close range, blood drips out of his ears. Hizashi stomps hard on his groin as he passes, carrying his ward close to his chest. He pauses at the door.

“Go, Present Mic!” Ragdoll roars, “I’ll take care of Bakugou!”

Hizashi nods and runs.

He reaches the doors in time to encounter a man in black, wearing a helmet covered in tubes. Hizashi skids to a halt. In his arms, Izuku hiccups, “All for One,” he whimpers. Hizashi’s arms tighten around his ward.

“Well, well,” the voice is one Hizashi recognized immediately. “It seems we found our rat. I was wondering where you’d disappeared to, Present Mic. Who would have thought the loudmouthed Voice Hero had gone Underground?”

Hizashi Amplifies once, a short, high pitched screech, All For One shouts in pain, his hands reaching up to his helmeted head. Hizashi takes his chance to lunge forward, around the villain and races down the corridor and takes a sharp left. Izuku makes a sound of terror, and a hand clamps onto Hizashi’s shoulder.

His muscles spasm and his joints lock and Izuku is hanging from his neck screaming his name.

It’s like acid flowing through his veins, he is burning. He is falling apart from the inside out.

Hizashi screams.

He screams and

He screams

And screams

And

**S C R E A M S**

His voice is bleeding

He cannot

Stop

Screaming

It

Hurts

He

Is

Disintegrating

From

the

Inside

out.

 

_The world goes dark._

\-------

(( _In the end, three heroes are rescued from the villain’s hideout. Bakugou was unharmed, but would bear psychological scars from watching his classmate tortured in front of him, Ragdoll has been rendered quirkless, and Midoriya had been badly tortured. One more hero was found in the villain’s hideout in Kamino, the Underground Hero, Impulse…_

_Impulse…_

_Who had started out as Present Mic..._

_Hizashi..._

_Shouta can only watch as Midoriya wails into All Might’s bony shoulder as the casket was lowered into the ground. Nemuri sobs into his shoulder and Tensei holds Tenya close as the teenager cries. Shouta curses his dry eyes since it means he cannot cry, but the sky cries for him in a torrent of hard rain. Shouta watches as dirt is thrown into the grave, covering the casket that holds his best friend and wishes things had not ended this way.))_

\------

 TBC


	13. Mirror on the Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midoriya Izuku knows all too well who his father is:
> 
> He will be nothing like him.

Once upon a time, there was a boy called Izuku. He was the son of a man called Hisashi, the precious son of a woman called Inko. Izuku was different from other children, he was clever. Very Very clever. He could see the things his mother refused to acknowledge. He knew his father was not what he seemed.

Izuku was glad to have been born with no quirk. It meant he couldn't be like his father.

Other children and adults were less understanding.

Izuku turned to the heroes, watched them with shining eyes. They too, were corrupt, but the heroes were his father's opposite. So Izuku aspired to become like them.

All Might was a facade of cracked and crumbling glass. Izuku idolized him, the man his father hated above all others. When All Might offered him his quirk, Izuku claimed it with glee.

Let All Might think it was fanboyish excitement. Never let him see the dark satisfaction of getting one up on his father.

Izuku watches the boy his father had claimed and twisted with pity and relief. Pity because the boy had no idea of how he had been manipulated. Relief because that twisted figure could have been him. Izuku pretends to be unknowing and afraid. Izuku is very good at pretending.

Izuku uses the Sports Festival to declare himself, not to claim, "I am here!" as All Might wished, but to declare, "This is me. I am not you, father." 

Izuku understands and sympathizes with Todoroki Shoto, but he will never tell. They are both boys eager to step out of their father's shadows. Izuku keeps his head down, plays dumb. It's too dangerous to admit his parentage. But Todoroki's position is one he knows all too well.

After Kamino, Izuku feels a thrumming in his veins that is not One for All. One for All was a liquid heat that rippled over his skin, diffusing across his nerves. This was molten fire burning through his veins. He remembers the curl of darkness that wrapped, delicately, deceptively gentle, around his wrist, the phantom lips on his cheek, brushing over his eyelids, pressed to the crown of his head. The note in his pocket found several days later in his father's distinctive hand:

_"Enjoy your inheritance. I am proud of you my son. Use it well. -Father"_

More than ever, Izuku understands Todoroki Shoto's feelings. He will never be his father.

Sir Nighteye sees the shadow of his father looming over him, sees the light flickering in him, and Izuku can see his determination to nurture that light.

_"I will nurture the good in you," Sir Nighteye says, "But make no mistake. If your future shifts to follow your father, I will put you down myself."_

Izuku can appreciate the honesty. He swears to work hard.

Chisaki Kai is Izuku's first victim. A brush of skin on skin in the heat of battle, and with far more subtlety than his father ever used, Chisaki is quirkless. Izuku kicks him, hard and fast, and Overhaul crumbles, limp. Nighteye scolds him later for excessive force, but holds Izuku as he sobs over the death of a villain and comforts him. Nighteye finds a quirkless child months after, and brings her to meet Izuku, and the child leaves the office no longer quirkless.

Hero Deku graduates from Yuuei with honors. Sir Nighteye takes him on as sidekick under one condition, that Izuku tells All Might his parentage.

All Might surprises Izuku. He knew all along. And he gave him One for All all the same.

Hero Deku climbs the ranks of the Hero Industry. 

When All Might finally dies, he affirms to Izuku:

_"You were never anything like your father."_

The Legacy of All For One and One for All dies with Izuku.

He is nothing like his father.

He is content.


	14. The Soul Mate AU No One Asked For And Might Never Be Written

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something old that exists on Discord:
> 
> You know what would make a great angst?  
> Take your ot3 of choice, two are in an established relationship, they want to bring in the third. One kisses the the third, the third runs away.  
> The trope is normally that the other half speaks with the third and they all fall into bed together right? No. Not this time.  
> The third opens the door, sees the second, closes the door and yeets out a window.  
> The ot3 never comes together.

Give me an AllEraserMic soulmate AU  
Where touching a person's skin will leave colors behind  
and the EraserMic ship sailed way back in HS  
and when All Might starts teaching at UA  
one or both might try to support him when his coughing fits get so bad he cannot stand  
but because they touch him on the shoulder or the forearm or the bicep or the back, and All Might doesn't roll up his sleeves, no one notices  
except All Might knows  
but he's decided that he's going to die soon so its better they don't know  
And after USJ, Aizawa or Mic notice a mark on Aizawa's body the same size and shape as All Might's hand in muscle form  
But no matter how often they put their hands on him, his shoulder, his back, his arms, his chest, he never shows any sign  
that he's noticed any colored spots  
Recovery Girl Notices But doesn't say anything  
bc Patient Confidentiality

Bonus if it gets out after Kamino Ward that AM knew but didn't say anything  
x10Bonus if AM successfully avoids getting into that relationship out of sheer stubbornness  
x100Bonus for mutual pining and heartbreak  
x100000 if you make me cry throughout everything because of the unresolved problems that lead to arguments and knives to the heart


	15. The Time Travel Fic No One asked for But was Written Anyway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something happens and Izuku grows up to be a villain. Heroes go back in time to kill the young Izuku before he can destroy the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What the Heroes never realized was that by killing Izuku, they unleashed a greater horror on the world, because they didn't travel back in time, they traveled sideways into a different universe altogether.


	16. Cat and Mouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku has a quirk. No one believes him.

Izuku was six when he came into his quirk. It was an accident. Afterward, it was very handy, so he never told anyone about it. 

Bakugou could call him a stalker all he wanted, but Izuku had a lot of blackmail material on him, and it would take very little to let slip something to the wrong person.

But Izuku wouldn't, because as useful as his quirk was for gathering information, like for example that Eraserhead will stop to pet the stray cat that meows imperiously at him, he likes the ease that it lets him hide. On days when Inko sleeps in her office at work preparing for a case, Izuku transforms into a cat and hides in the apartment three blacks down. Eraserhead, or Aizawa-san, as Izuku finds out from other people in the apartment complex, gives the best pets, and he doesn't try to feed him kibble.

"You can always leave a change of uniform and your school bag here, you know," Aizawa said one day conversationally.

Izuku looked up from the ball he was batting around in surprise.

"Kid, cats don't keep regular schedules," the man said, "I followed you once or twice."

Well. He was caught anyway, right? Izuku transformed back into a human. "You're not mad?"

"You live in the same building as one of your more violent bullies," Aizawa said dryly, "He's going to kill you by accident one day because you don't fight back and your school's disciplinary system is a mess. And I talked to your mother about your tendency to spend time here as a cat when she's away overnight."

Izuku blushed. Well. That was embarrassing....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izuku better be careful crossing streets in his cat form because it's been scientifically proven some drivers will go out of their way to run over small animals in the street


	17. To the Petty and the Loud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku muses on Bakugou and unfavorably compares him to the #1 before All Might.

One of the downsides to being a hero otaku who specialized in analytics is that Izuku has a knack for spotting inconsistencies. This Hero's smile was more a grimace here, and it happens every time they are in a particular position. This Hero sneers at same gender couples and "accidentally" passes them over for rescue in favor of more hetero-normal couples. This Hero attacks civilians as well as villains without discrimination. This Hero will only talk to reporters from "High End Magazines." That Hero will only be suave and charming to women and snappish and apathetic to men. That Hero will only appear in public if there is money to be made, and so has never appeared at charitable events.

Izuku can see the same flaws among his peers. Some are genuinely kind, but most are performing the right actions for all the wrong reasons. Todoroki wants to spite his father the same way Endeavor wants to beat down All Might. Shinso wants to spite all the people who called him a villain simply because of his quirk. Yaozorozu wants to make more of her quirk. Uraraka is in it for the money. Mineta is in it for the female exposure. Others are there because "Hero" is what they were pushed to be. Monoma is there for his ego, because he feels inferior to others and wants to have a sense of superiority for once.

Bakugou is the worst of all of them. He is Endeavor to the core with a sense of superiority over others and an over inflated sense of self-importance. But Bakugou is worse than Endeavor ever was, because Endeavor started out wanting to help people, but Bakugou, Bakugou has only ever craved victory. Victory and Power.

If asked to compare Bakugou to a Hero, Izuku would say, The Disgraced Firaga Thunder, and no one would claim it was a favorable comparison.

As a hero, the man was excellent, Firaga Thunder had been #1 in his time, he saved many lives and foiled many crimes and villainous plots. But there was also a trail of bodies and ruined lives that paved his path to victory. Firaga Thunder had been infamous in the Era Before All Might for going on a power trip as soon as he hit #1, believing that his opinion was the only one that mattered and doing his best to ruin anyone who claimed otherwise. He was known to threaten and intimidate civilians and fellow heroes to get his own way and had been known for harassing his dissenters. The villains he apprehended often spent months in the hospital suffering both physical and psychological damage to the point where some were not sound enough of mind to stand trial. Eighty Years After Firaga Thunder's ignoble fall from grace at the hands of The Feline Hero: Nekomata, The Innocent Hero: ROUS, The Electronic Hero: Silver, The Clairvoyant Hero: Grimm, a Support Specialist codenamed Aowly, and two exceptionally brave Heroes in Training, Skitty and Overdrive at the cost of their reputations and careers, there was still debate about whether or not the man was hero or villain. 

Izuku looked at him and called him a false hero of the worst sort. And it said volumes about his unspoken opinion of Bakugou that he was held to the standards of Firaga Thunder.


	18. A Light in the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku has a quirk, one that no one can see. No one believes him, except for Katsuki.

"When you get your quirk, you can be my sidekick!" the blond haired boy crowed under the dappled shade of the Maple in the school yard. "We'll be the next All Might and Sir Nighteye!"

"Y-yeah!" The green haired boy agreed.

\---

"You can be my sidekick," The blonde haired boy whispered into the dark, his hand curled gently around the green haired boy's wrist, "Until you're strong enough to protect yourself and your quirk. Then we'll be the next All Might and Endeavor!"

"C-can I even get that strong with a weak quirk?"

"Sir Nighteye is strong," the blonde whispered, "And so's Eraserhead. You'll be stronger than all of them, because your quirk... Your quirk is the most valuable of all."

"I can't do anything, I can't show..."

"You can! Your quirk is why I can blow up rocks and trees!"

"Amplifier," they whispered together into the dark, giving name to the green haired boy's quirk.

\---

"You shitty Deku! Don't look down on me!!!" the blonde's hands sparked against the green haired boys bookbag, sending up a whisp of smoke. 

_"Don't Amplify here, you idiot!"_ Izuku hears the unspoken words under the shout.

"K-kacchan-" he stuttered, "I-I'm n-not-"

"Shut the fuck up you shitty nerd!!! Get the fuck outta here!!!"

 _"Calm down and breathe,"_ the warm grip of Bakugou's hand, gentle despite the violence of his words said, _"Calm down and reel in your quirk."_

The other boys left, laughing as they taunted Izuku. Bakugou took his hands off the strap of Izuku's bag, the two boys inspecting the handprint charred into the faux leather.

"Auntie is going to kill me."

"I'm sorry I lost control."

"You need to grow a spine. If you keep Amplifying quirks left and right, you're going to draw the wrong sort of attention. I can scream all I want and blow things up to attract attention, but I won't be able to protect you if villains come after you."

"Y-you should go. Th-the others will wonder what's taking y-you."

"Rub some dirt onto your face so they think I beat you silly."

"O-okay."

\---

"What are you doing you Quirkless Deku?!" Bakugou bellowed as Izuku struggled to scoop handfuls of slime away from his face. "Get away!"

 _"Calm down! Don't Amplify here!"_ red eyes glared, trying to telepathically brand the words into his old friend's mind. If he Amplified here....

"My feet moved on their own! Besides," Green eyes filled with tears met infuriated red, "Your eyes looked like they were asking for help!"

"You idiot..."

"SMASH!!!!!!" a very well known voice roared. 

And a gust of wind pressure blew the slime villain off both of them.

\---

"Quirks don't just evolve like that. We both know you don't go from Amplifier to Super Strength."

Izuku scuffed his shoe against the dirty cement under the bridge. "N-not h-h-here Kacchan." He took a deep breath and looked his old friend in the eyes, "It's not safe here."

Katsuki scoffed, "Fine. At Yuuei then."

\---

All Might's Quirk. 

Bakugou Katsuki stared at his old friend in shock.

As if the idiot's natural quirk didn't paint enough of a target on his back, Izuku'd gone and become All Might's Successor, inheriting the Number One Hero's quirk.

But... There was one good thing to come out of it....

All Might would protect Izuku, wouldn't he? Only their second day and the man had already shown a ridiculous amount of favoritism toward Izuku as it was.

"Dammit, Zuku," he growled, roughly scrubbing a hand through blonde hair, "Why are you like this?"

"L-luck?"

"There's nothing lucky about it!" he barked.

\---

Bakugou lunged toward the warp villain, hand outstretched. "Now, Deku!" he roared.

Izuku's eyes gleamed gold, and Bakugou felt his veins burn hot as Izuku's quirk took effect. Bakugou's hands itched. A massive explosion went off right as his hands connected with the metal collar.

Shrapnel went flying in all directions.

\---

Katsuki and Izuku stood together in front of All Might, Principal Nedzu and Aizawa-sensei.

"So you're saying that you both conspired to keep Midoriya's actual quirk secret for fear of exploitation, and that not even your parents know about his ability to Amplify the effects of quirks?" Nedzu asked.

"Yes."

"A good idea considering, Aizawa-sensei said, "But tell me, if you planned to keep it secret until well after graduation, why did you reveal it in front of villains? You realize the target that you've been trying to avoid is now permanently painted on your back? Now that the League of Villains knows Midoriya's quirk is to Amplify other Quirks, they'll target him relentlessly."

"The League of Villains won't be the only ones," All Might growled. "Less scrupulous heroes will be fighting to get him into their grasps as well."

\---

TBC

\---

maybe


	19. exhaustion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toshinori is exhausted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unbetaed
> 
> we die like men

Toshinori knows all about the memes that go around the student body

He knows that they call him smolmight and his muscleform swolmight and often in reference to his relationship with Midoriya, DadMight

Present Mic is often Loud Dad and Aizawa is Sleepy Dad

Toshinori is loud and cheerful

He's vibrant and lively and energetic even as his strength leeches away

he's tired

He's so tired

\--------

"Oi, Yagi! The day's over. Yagi!"

Aizawa gently lobs a paper ball at the still form of the former hero from the otherside of the Staff room. The paperball smacks the retired hero square between the eyes.

Normally that is enough to wake him. This time, he doesn't move.

Cautiously, Aizawa approaches the sofa. Yagi is still. Too still.

He reaches down...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The day of All Might's funeral is clear and bright. 
> 
> The Symbol of Peace is buried quietly, without fanfare. With only his former teacher, his fellow teachers and a single student in attendance.
> 
> Tomorrow, there will be a bigger, public funeral, hosted by Yuuei with much pomp and fanfare. 
> 
> Today is for those who knew Toshinori Yagi and loved him best.


	20. Void

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He WOULD be Number One

One for All is an incredible quirk, but even it's wielders can fall to traps.

The prestige of Number One can be too much for some.

Monoma knows he cannot copy Midoriya's quirk. He's seen Midoriya break himself enough times in their teenage years that Monoma knows he'll die if he tries.

So he copies another quirk, one perhaps not as physically strong, but equally devastating if used right. It took a great deal of work to get it. 

Midoriya arrives at the meeting place as planned.

One for All is an incredible quirk. But it's wielder is not invincible. It's wielder can be caught off guard.

Midoriya doesn't expect Erasure. Midoriya doesn't expect Decay. Midoriya is too trusting. Midoriya is gone. Monoma grinned, wild and twisted. So much for Mr Number One Hero.

Only Four More To Go.

Four More 1-A Heroes, and Monoma would be Number One.

As was only right.

It was HIS.


	21. Spite and Vengence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spite can drive a person far. Vengence, even farther.

"If you really want a quirk so badly, here's an idea! Why don't you take a swan dive off the roof and pray for a quirk in the next life!"

A rope of patience, worn down over the years to a single fine, frayed thread, snapped.

The blonde boy laughed cruelly as he left.

Midoriya Izuku looked up, straight into the spy camera he'd installed in that classroom at the start of the month, grim determination in his eyes. Quickly, he crossed to the front of the room and removed the tiny camera from the gap between the top of the blackboard and the bottom of the clock. He quickly took the camera apart, taking the memory card and slotting it into his phone. Within moments, the footage of Bakugou's words and his unrepentant laughter was uploaded onto the internet. Just another nail in a long series of nails in a very large army of coffins. Izuku reassembled the camera and attached it to the front of his jacket.

\---

A flash of green and black falling past the windows attracted the attention of the teachers.

\---

Inko screamed as the police officer gave her the news.

\---

The population without quirks and quirkless activists rose into action.

\---

Across the ocean, an estranged husband and father rushed home.

\---

Bakugou Mitsuki all but shoved her son into the arms of the police when they arrived at her door.


	22. Teacher, Teacher, Where are you? (Healer Quirk) Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku sacrifices bits and pieces of his memories to heal. All Might takes absolute advantage of this to whisk away his successor on an impromptu trip, much to Sir Nighteye and Aizawa's dismay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 is Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427/chapters/32875494
> 
> Part 2 is Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427/chapters/33395370
> 
> Part 3 is Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427/chapters/33568926

Healing Quirks are precious. When quirks manifested, many scientific advancements stopped and vital fields like medicine stagnated. There was still progress, but the progress moved at a snail's pace. In a violent profession like Villainy and Heroics, the availability of a weak healing quirk can mean the difference between life and death and even the end of a career. But healing quirks were rare, so much so that combat capable quirks like Bakugou's Explosion or even Shigaraki's Decay, which only emerged maybe ten times in an urban population of one hundred million were as common as dirt in comparison. As such, villains and heroes competed in a quiet underground war behind the scenes. So from the moment Izuku first manifested his healing quirk at the age of eight when Bakugou fell in front of a bus. Jet Burst had been the first Hero on the scene, and the sight of Bakugou's mangled legs mending under Izuku's hands as he cried over his friend meant that the Hero trailed him to and from school everyday for years afterward.

Izuku did not remember the accident, but Bakugou did, and the realization that yes, his explosions made him a shoe in for a hero, but he was not superior. He learned this the hard way when they were eleven and had been yanked away from Inko to be held hostage, but a single shout from Jet Burst of, "Brunette's a healer!" mobilized the heroes to save Izuku first. It was an important lesson to both boys, one that Izuku had learned young as a late bloomer, but was hammered into Bakugou's skull that day: That not all men were created equal, and Healers, those who created and mended were held in higher esteem than simple destroyers like himself.

That was why it alarmed Bakugou so much to wake one morning to find a cheerful yellow notebook by his bedside, open to a page containing both All Might's larger than life handwriting and his friend's messy doctor's scrawl.

He raced up four floors to the teachers' dormitories and pounded on Aizawa's door.

Bakugou, like all of 1-A's students was not surprised in the least when it was Mic, shirtless, bleary eyed with his hair down, that opened the door rather than their perpetually exhausted teacher. It was, by now, pretty much expected that their homeroom teacher lived with his husband, even on campus.

"What is it, Listener?" Mic yawned.

Bakugou shoved the book at him. "All Might took Deku!"

"What?!"

Aizawa appeared behind Mic, equally shirtless, as sleep deprived as ever, but eyes sharp and alert. Mic glanced at the book and handed it to Aizawa, who opened the book and stared at the two hastily scrawled notes.

"I'm taking Izuku on a training trip!!! >(:D) " was sprawled across the page.

Under it in Izuku's messy scrawl, "Sorry Sensei! He wouldn't take no for an answer!"

Aizawa closed his eyes with a pained look on his face. "Go get dressed, and wait for me in the common area," he said, "We need to speak with the Principal."


	23. Implacable: Part 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the Yuuei Sports Festival!

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

 

_ Sent: Sunday, May 13, 2018 8:15 PM  _

_ Subject: Sports Festival _

 

_ Shouta. _

_ The Yuuei Sports Festival is coming up. Everyone is so excited. This is our chance to tell the world, “We are here!” And Class 1-A has to make a good showing. Everyone has heard about the USJ Incident, and as a class, we have received a declaration of war from practically every student participating in the festival. Then this absolute  _ **_prick_ ** _ comes out of the crowd and he’s all like, “Since you have experience with villains, the world has had their eyes on 1-A. So we’re going to kick you down by the knees and make the world talk about us instead of 1-A” And I’m just like, “Wha….?” Like, they jealous that we’re in the media, but they don’t seem to realize that we all nearly died or they don’t care. So apparently almost dying at sixteen is something to be envied now?눈_눈 _

_ I swear if I had a hundred yen for everytime someone has called a 1-A student arrogant because a teacher stepped in to stop us talking about the USJ Incident, I’d be able to commission a fire extinguisher big enough to douse Endeavor’s hottest fire. Like, the teachers are ACTIVELY stepping in and stopping us talking about it. Probably in an effort to spare us reliving the event, but we have to talk about it to the quirk counsellors anyway? ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ) Tsuyu-chan thinks the teachers might be trying to maintain the illusion of a regular high school experience for us too. But? Stopping us talking to other students appears to be having the opposite effect of whatever they’re hoping for? _

_ I mean, kudos for trying? But it seems to be backfiring on us in a big way. _

_ Anyway, I’ve been working on my Quirk lately, and All Might gave me some advice about using my quirk in combat. I’m still not entirely sure about how to control the output, but if nothing else, I would like to be able to use it without breaking my bones every time. It’s depressing to think about, but if I’m an egg, and my quirk is a microwave, then my bones are the egg bits that exploded everywhere when the microwave is turned on, you know? _

_ Anyway, there is so much stuff to do, between training for the Sports Festival and homework, I’m not sure I have time to breath! xD I don’t know what I was expecting from Yuuei, but I guess that’s the price of underestimating the school’s dedication to the motto. I need to train hard. The Sports Festival will be the time for us to tell the world, “I am Here!” and I hope we’ll make a good impression. It’s probably not going to happen since Bakugou is the top student among the First Years, and so he’s going to open the ceremony with something along the lines of, “Get out of the way, Losers. I’m going to win.” and then we’re all going to have a target painted on our backs. _

_ But I guess that’s just how it’s going to be as long as Bakugou is in Hero Course. _

_ All the rest of us can do is do our best and not sink. _

_ Izuku. _

 

\--

 

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Monday, May 14, 2018 7:26 AM**

**Subject: Re: Sports Festival**

 

**Izuku.**

**Yuuei’s Sports Festival is one of the most widely televised events. Heroes all across the country and even the world will be watching. Bakugou will most certainly be his usual disagreeable self against all advice, and so all you and your classmates can do is fight your hardest and make a good impression.**

**I… cannot fathom why anyone would think nearly dying is a good thing… What is wrong with kids these days? Unfortunately, they aren’t likely to change their thinking until they have their first villain encounter, so there is nothing you can do about that.**

**Your friend might be onto something about why your teachers keep stopping your class talking about the event. It’s our jobs as teachers to ensure that all our students have a normal and safe Academic Experience, and having students relive a life threatening attack over and over just to cater to the curiosity of others is not part of the academic experience.**

**In the meantime, just do your best. I’ll be rooting for you.**

**Shouta.**

 

\---

 

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2018 8:15 AM  _

_ Subject: Sports Festival _

 

_ Shouta _

_ OMG I’m so nervous. I think I’m going to be sick. I can’t do this. I can’t. There will be eyes and people and….OMG Shouta I can’t. _

_ Izuku _

 

\---

 

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2018 8:36 AM**

**Subject: Re: Sports Festival**

 

**Izuku,**

**Take a deep breath and calm down. You can do this. I have faith in you.**

**Shouta**

 

\---

 

Hizashi set Shouta’s phone on the table in front of him. 

“You sure the kid’s gonna be ok? Sounds like he’s having a heart attack down there.”

“Don’t exaggerate. He’ll be  fine.”

“If you say so. Are you ready for this, Mummy Man?”

“You’re too loud.”

 

\---

 

“I swear I will win,” Bakugou said. And the spectators went insane with offense. Izuku facepalmed, unaware that up in the commentator’s box, Shouta had done the same.

“Well…” Present Mic coughed a little awkwardly before regaining some of his spirits, “Well then! Let the Yuuei Sports Festival Begin!!!”

 

\---

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2018 9:45 AM  _

_ Subject: Re: Re: Sports Festival _

 

_ Shouta _

_...TEN. MILLION…. POINTS…. I REGRET EVERYTHING…... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!! _

_ Izuku _

**\---**

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2018 11:54 AM  _

_ Subject: Re: Re: Sports Festival _

 

_ Shouta _

_ DID YOU SEE THAT?! DID YOU SEE THAT?! IBARA-SAN’S QUIRK IS AMAZING!!! _

_ URARAKA WAS SO COOL! I knew she had an incredible quirk and that she’d have to get creative to beat Bakugou with it, and she did win but wow! She really pushed him to his limits! _

_ And Shinso-kun’s quirk was incredible too! Apparently he was bullied for it but he wants to get into the hero course to prove them all wrong! I hope he does! His quirk would be perfect for safely removing hostages from a hostage situation! Or getting obstinate civilians out of crumbling buildings during rescue missions! _

_ And Todoroki-kun! His quirk is so strong! But ah…. He seems to have a very volatile temper for someone who acts so aloof. But I think our match might have turned us into friends! _

_ Izuku _

**\---**

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2018 7:45 PM  _

_ Subject: Re: Re: Sports Festival _

 

_ Shouta _

_ I didn’t make it. The Sports Festival was my chance to tell the world, “I am here,” but I didn’t manage it. I guess I was a little overconfident huh? But the fight with Todoroki took a lot, and Recovery Girl said if I kept fighting I’d lose the use of my arms, so  I withdrew.  _

_ It was the best choice, I know that, but… I’m a little bit disappointed... _

_ Izuku _

**\---**

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2018 8:36 PM**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Sports Festival**

 

**Izuku,**

**I saw your showing. It’s too bad you didn’t win, but I am very proud of you. You did very well for someone who had only a month to train their quirk, and you did the smart thing and acknowledged your limits. Next year, I know you’ll do even better. Very well done.**

**Shouta**

\---

 

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2018 9:34 PM  _

_ Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Sports Festival _

 

_ Shouta _

_ I need better control before that. I can’t keep this up. I don’t think my body can keep up at this rate. _

_ Izuku _

**\---**

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2018 9:56 PM**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Sports Festival**

 

**Izuku,**

**Then you train. Yuuei has quirk counselors and teachers whose job is to help you master your quirk, and you have three years to push yourself to the limit. Take advantage of it.**

**Shouta**

**\---**

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Monday June 4, 2018 11:34 AM  _

_ Subject: Internships _

 

_ Shouta _

_ SHOUTA!!! Jdskjghkdfhgjh _

_ I’m going to be interning under Alll Might’s former homeroom teacher from when he was at Yuuei! Jzhfkgjdshgkjahdfkgjh All Might reccomended him to me saying that Gran Torino might be able to help me use my quirk. _

_ ZFHADJKVFNVJAKERGHH  _

_ I’m going to Hosu for the internships and I’m going to be learning from All Might’s own teacher. I’m going to die from excitement OMG _

_ Izuku _

**\---**

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Monday, June 4, 2018 1:56 PM**

**Subject: Re: Internships**

 

**Izuku,**

**I’ve heard of Gran Torino, although I never knew he was All Might’s own teacher. Lucky you, huh? From what I heard, he was a very demanding teacher. You’re going to have a rough time of it, but if he can help you master your quirk, it will be worth it.**

**You’re going to learn so much from him. Do you know how rare it is for heroes to live to his age? He’ll have forgotten more about heroics than all the heroes teaching heroics have experienced over their lives combined!**

**Shouta**


	24. Dad, Dad, Dad, Goose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku has more dads than he knows what to do with

1)

“Dad why?!!!” Izuku howled as the cliff face fell away from under him and his classmates who shrieked like dying things.

“It’s a logical ruse!!!” Aizawa calls after him and Izuku can hear over the sound of falling earth, the Pussycats laughing hysterically even as the dark haired man realizes what he'd just answered to and splutters.

2)

"All Might, what time is it?"

"Two Thirty. Looks like it's time to see the dentist. HAHAHA!!!"

".... Oh My GOD Dad..."

The staff lounge went silent. All Might laughed harder as Izuku covered his face in embarrassment.

3)

"Hey there Listeners!"

Izuku blinked as Present Mic, hair down and clad in civilian garb bounced up to him and his classmates. Uraraka, Todoroki, Kirishima, Tsuyu and surprisingly Bakugou edged closer to him almost protectively.

"Hi!" Izuku grinned, "Fancy meeting you here!"

"Very fancy!" Mic grinned, "So, triple date? Shouta must be so proud! His babies are growing up!!!"

"It's not a date!" Izuku protested.

"Aww, we all get there eventually! No need to be shy!"

"Why are you like this, Dad?!"

And the Goose)

"Izuku..." All for One advanced slowly, "I... Am.. Your Father...."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"I don't think so."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"OVER MY DEAD BODY, ALL FOR ONE!!!!"


	25. A lucky Break (Vermillion AU) Form 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dangerous Villain from the future has made it into the grounds of the Yuuei of his childhood. For Izuku, the next step is the easiest to justify to his former teachers, but living with the aftermath... Well...

-

The intruder alarms went off, And much as they had only four days before, all available heroes, mostly hero course teachers, made their way to the source of the alert. They were, this time, accompanied by an addition, a visitor from the future, the man that one of their students would become, Hero Vermillion. It was a mite bit confusing when they considered that his students still called him Deku, but Midoriya Izuku answered to both names quite easily. The children didn't have as many hang-ups, most likely because they didn't know of their teacher's Underground Persona, but two of the students, the only female in the five, and the son of the late Waterhorses alternated between the two names as easily as breathing: Deku during school hours, Vermillion after dark.

Kayama Nemuri crossed paths with, predictably, Hizashi and Shouta, connected at the hiplike always, moments later coming across Midoriya at a junction where Powerloader and Snipe were evacuating their students.

"Sensei!" all five of Midoriya's students emerged from the pack of Management Students they had been attending math class with, "What is happening?"

"Stay inside!" Midoriya barked, "Stay with the class!"

"Sensei, I can help!" the lone female of the five cried. "My quirk will be helpful in the infirmary!"

Midoriya snarled, "Fine! Aizawa, go straight to Recovery Girl," there was at least two sharp intakes of breath, one likely from Hizashi, the other from Snipe, whose head jerked in their direction, "No detours, or you'll be expelled faster than Ground Zero can lose his temper, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir!" The girl was dashing down the halls in the direction of the infirmary.

"The rest of you, go with the class. Stay near Snipe and follow his orders. If I get any complaints about you, you're all expelled."

"Sir! I can-" the Waterhorses' boy started, before green lightning crackled over Midoriya's skin, and the teenager cut himself off. "Right, I'll stay with Snipe-sensei!" The four remaining teens from the future immediately blended back into the crowd.

"Intimidating students into obedience with a quick burst of quirk?" Nemuri said dryly, glancing at Shouta, "I wonder where he learned that from?"

Shouta had the gall to look very pleased with himself. Somehow, Nemuri couldn't blame him. Midoriya had clearly grown up to be an excellent hero, and an excellent teacher as well. Even more to the point, Nemuri remembered that Shouta had been a stubborn son of a bitch as a teenager, and quite the trouble maker when enabled by Iida Tensei, Hizashi, and Nemuri herself. If his daughter was the same way, then the simple fact that she would immediately follow orders without needing to hold the threat of telling her father over her head spoke volumes of the respect she held for the man Midoriya would become.

"Kayama-sensei, if you think that I'm the only student of Hell Class Aizawa-sensei's rubbed off on, you should see the Gen-Ed student who transferred in at the start of second year. Facing that person in a fight was like staring down the lovechild of an unholy marriage between Present Mic and Eraserhead." Midoriya's eyes were soft and fond, but his smile was as crooked as Shouta's just before he revealed a logical ruse.

Nemuri felt a ripple of unease trickle down her spine. That sounded like... She chanced a glance at Shouta and Hizashi, whose faces had lit up with anticipation and pride. Well shit. It seemed like Shouta was going to be grooming a lot of Underground Heroes in this batch.

\---

They made it outside with few issues, but all of the Hero Course Teachers were converging on the gate where the alarm had originated. Midoriya had vanished at some point between encountering his students and reaching the front gates. Only the occasional flitting of a shadow cast from overhead showed where the youth was traveling overhead, tenderfooting from one lamp to the next, each footstep placed so delicately that the glass of the lamps didn't so much as creak under his weight.

Midoriya-no, Vermillion, dropped from overhead, capture weapon looping around the villain in question, and Eraserhead sucked in a shocked breath when the bulky rocklike man shifted, revealing a tattoo of a highly stylized spider formed from sweeping loops and curves. Nemuri frowned, it was rare for a simple tattoo to draw such a reaction from her collegue.

"VERMILLION!!!!!" the man roared. His muscles bulged as he grabbed the fabric before it could pin his forearms to his sides and yanked.

Vermillion was silent as a ghost as he arced through the air, capture weapon fluttering and looping around him. He landed on the back of a bench and lunged forward even as the villain stomped his feet, sending cracks racing across the pavement toward the hero. The bench vanished into the chasm and Nemuri had to leap out of the way as the earth convulsed and rock spikes shot out of the ground in random directions. Vermillion took advantage of the cover the villain had provided for him, weaving and ducking as he zigzagged his way toward the villain. Shouta's quirk was active, Nemuri noted from the corner of her eye, and Vermillion took advantage of this and threw a quick chop toward the throat, which the villain batted aside and kicked out. Vermillion vaulted over the kick, using the villain's leg as a springboard and lashed out with a kick of his own.

"Damned Underground Heroes!!!!" the villain roared as Vermillion landed an Augmented kick that crackled with green lightning, sending the villain lurching forward a few steps before he twisted and grabbed Vermillion's wrist and slung him aside. Vermillion was eerily silent as he hit a wall with his back and dropped to the ground, gasping for air, but he was back on his feet in an eye blink and almost gliding over the ground with how fast and low he advanced. The villain stomped again, sending up spikes of earth in the brief moment of Shouta's blink, and Vermillion was forced to veer to the side. Nemuri struck with her whip, lashing the rock villain's back with knotted leather even as Shouta lunged forward, capture weapon looping around the Villain's wrists and climbing up to wrap his entire body in alloy enhanced fabric. Nemuri leapt forward and doused the villain in a cloud of pheromones, putting him to sleep.

Or so they thought. The Villain staggered out of the cloud of pheromones, roaring in fury.

"Well shit," she said, shocked.

"That's new," Vermillion breathed almost inaudibly.

"You don't say?" Shouta grouched.

Hizashi tched and let loose his loudest, "YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" and it appeared for a moment it had worked, as the villain stumbled back. The sonic attack had, unfortunately, blasted away Nemuri's pheromones, and she tore off more of her costume in preparation to release a larger dose.

The Villain crashed to the ground, sending fissures racing out in all directions. Shouta tackled Nemuri out of the way as a particularly deep chasm opened under her. They both rolled to the feet several meters away. Vermillion vanished again even as Hizashi dove out of the way of several vicious looking spikes and the Villain staggered to his feet and lunged forward with a roar in the general direction of Nemuri and Shouta. Hizashi bodychecked him away from them, and Hero and Villain grappled for the upper hand as they rolled across the ground. A rock spike suddenly slammed through Hizashi's body, and he gasped, breathless as the villain proceeded to nail him between the legs as he scrambled up. Vermillion dropped out of nowhere, kicking the Villain hard in the back, tossing him away from Hizashi even as his capture weapon looped around the blonde's body, jerking him off the spike before wrapping tightly around his wound. Moments later, Vermillion deposited Hizashi almost roughly next to Shouta and Nemuri before leaping away toward the villain. Hizashi's blood was starting to stain the capture weapon red and Shouta made a sound like a wounded animal as he ripped his own capture weapon from around his neck and pressed it against the wound. Hizashi's body arched off the ground with a scream of pain.

Nemuri blew a small dose of pheromones into his face, knocking out the blonde. She helped Shouta heft Hizashi's body onto Shouta's back and Nemuri stayed behind as Shouta booked it for the infirmary. Without Shouta there to erase the villain's quirk, and his capture weapon being used to staunch Hizashi's wound, Vermillion was forced into less direct tactics.

Nemuri watches in awe as Midoriya transitions almost seamlessly from Vermillion: Underground Hero to Deku: Aboveground Hero. Between one confrontation and the next, Nemuri sees clearly how Midoriya as Vermillion embodies everything that Shouta values in a Hero, and how Deku embodies everything the media glorifies about a hero, including sheer brute force. He goes from Vermillion, who uses every bit of his body to fight, to Deku, whose attacks are leg based, his arms used only to redirect or parry attacks.

Each punch and kick blasts the earthen projectiles into so much dust. It's like watching Shouta in action back when they were teenagers, and the very methods they had been taught were the methods of a blunt weapon, and he was still learning to use them in the stealth mode that was required for Underground Heroes. But Deku, unlike the teenager Shouta once was, is a honed and polished blade. He is a hero with a decade of experience, and like he showed in the Staff Spar several days ago, he seamlessly blends the styles of both his teachers, the hit and run tactics favored by Shouta and the sheer brute force of Toshinori, into a form of terribly destructive poetry.

In the end though, it is the lasersharp intensity of Sir Nighteye and the incredible legwork of Usagiyama, not any of the other Heroes Nemuri can see reflected in the style of this Hero at his Peak, that brings down the Villain.

Deku charges in head on, destroying the projectiles sent his way, knocks a punch away and delivers a block to the throat, advances as the villain chokes and staggers back, ducks under a punch and punches the villain in the solar plexus. Or he tries. The villain blocks the blow, lashes out with a foot, Deku leaps backward, spine curving gracefully, plants his hands on the ground and swings his legs up in a devastating kick. But rather than circling back to his feet, Deku clamps both feet around the Villain's neck and with a twist, slams him to the ground. The force of impact creates an explosion of dust and cement.

When the dust clears, Deku is slumped against the broken trunk of a Japanese Maple, breathing heavily and the villain is imbedded an inch into the ground, his neck bent at an odd angle.

"Was it necessary to kill him?" Principal Nedzu seems to materialize out of nowhere.

Deku looks up, green eyes haunted. "Igneous has killed twenty-three heroes to date. He was successfully apprehended four times, and each time, at least four heroes died in the process, and he escaped Tartarus twice. He's too dangerous to leave alive here in the past, especially if he's bold enough to attack Yuuei of all places."

Nedzu inclines his head, accepting the time traveler's reasoning for choosing to eliminate rather than apprehend the villain.

Every teacher present understands Midoriya's choice, one educator to another. Given the choice between letting such a dangerous villain run wild on school grounds and protecting the children in their care... Well...

It wasn't really a choice at all was it?

The children come first.

Always.

\---

TBC


	26. Faith, Commitment, Strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Deku, while chasing a Villain, saves a boy on a bridge. Years later, the boy saves his hero.

Deku knows That what he is about to do is Stupid and Reckless, and Eraserhead and All Might will scold him spectacularly for it later on but he goes ahead and follows the Villain into the warp anyway.  
The warp spits him out roughly in the same place where he had entered, in Yuuei's courtyard. The only difference is that rather than spitting him out in the middle of a battlefield between villains and heroes, it disgorges him into the middle of a pack of third year students and several teachers. Deku immediately recognizes Crimson Riot and Nedzu. The young hero groaned as the two heroes lunge at him, and Deku scrambles to dodge the attacks, fingers scrabbling at his belt and flings his hero license at them. Upon confirming the license is real, Nedzu immediately puts a stop to the attack.

"The license is real," Nedzu said simply, "How do I know? Because future me handled it not too long ago." He fixes Deku with a beady eyed _look_ and says ominously, "And you and I will be having a chat about recklessness, young hero."

"Yes Principal Nedzu, sorry," Deku said quickly, feeling chills roll down his spine. He mentally kicks himself as soon as he realizes what he said, but Nedzu looks unaccountably pleased by the slip.

Deku is brought up to a conference room filled with the current Yuuei staff and the current principal, where he does his best to explain what happened without giving away everything. He's fairly sure he failed spectacularly, because Tenth Flame looks progressively unhappy as he describes the multiple breaches in Yuuei's security, ending with the attempted kidnapping of the visiting child of one of the staff, leading him to follow the villain into the warp, ending with his current predicament. Tenth Flame does not, however, press Deku about how the school's security was breached so many times, being far more concerned about the state of the students in the aftermath. And perhaps the other Heroes do not press, because time travel is not the weirdest thing to happen to a pro-hero in their line of work. What did matter was that a Villain had struck at the school’s pride and time traveling hero aside, Yuuei is _outraged_ by the insult.

They arrange for Deku to stay with one of the other teachers, Body Flicker, until the hostage is rescued and he can be sent home.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deku, in his capeless stealth uniform of hunter green with unadorned hood, sees the boy on the top of the bridge. The look of the boy sends chills down his spine, and Deku recognizes the face immediately, mentally stripping away cheeks rounded with baby fat, and adding the shadow of neglected stubble and aging him up by two decades. **Aizawa-sensei.** His heart leaps into his throat in horror. He breaks away from Body Flicker with a curt word and races toward the boy with Full Cowl flickering over his skin. He arrives in time to grab the boy by the collar, yanking him away from the edge right has his feet step off the edge.

"Just _what_ do you think you are doing?" Deku growled, heart pounding.

The boy _Aizawa-sensei!_ looks up at him, face streaked with tears. _Aizawa glares at them, the noumu's hand still grasping his head, face covered in blood, one eye closed, teeth gritted and bared in pain and determination, his one open eye gleaming red with his quirk._ Deku feels his heart break with pride because this boy will one day rise from this moment of weakness to become the man who had protected his students with such ferocity against impossible odds and trained the newest generation of heroes.

Deku felt Full Cowl vanish as the boy’s eyes gleamed red. “An emitter type quirk huh? Erasure no less. But it still doesn’t explain why you’re up here.” Was it weird to pretend? Deku thought it was weird to pretend not to know who this boy was, but the boy was not the Aizawa Shota he knew, hadn’t yet grown into the Eraserhead that Deku had admired and looked up to all his life, was still a far cry from Aizawa-sensei who had molded him into a hero.

There is a _swoosh_ of displaced air and Body Flicker appears behind him. “So,” she said, “What’s going on here?”

“Attempted Suicide it seems,” Deku responded evenly. “I’ll take care of this one, Body Flicker.”

“Ah…” Understanding lights up her eyes, “One of yours then.”

“Not for a long time yet,” Deku replied, smiling stiffly.

Body Flicker nods. “Alright then. I’ll be at the bottom if you need me.” She vanishes.

“Now,” Deku gently lets go of the boy’s collar and drops to one knee in front of him while grasping a bony shoulder with one hand while the other hand pulled a handkerchief from a pocket. “Let’s talk, young man.” He smiled gently and wiped the tears off the boy’s face, “And we’ll see if we can’t fix your problem, eh? I’m Deku, The hero who tries his hardest while saying “Dekiru!” What’s your name?”

“I’ve never heard of a Hero Deku,” the boy responded, glaring.

Deku chuckled as he lowered the hand holding the handkerchief. Though not yet Eraserhead, Aizawa didn’t really change all that much between childhood and adulthood, did he? “That’s the point, young man. You’re not supposed to have heard about me. If you had heard about me before this, I would have to be worried.”

The boy stared at him. “You’re an Underground Hero?”

“I don’t go out of my way to seek the spotlight if that is what you mean.”

The boy looked away. Deku sighed. “Come on, boy, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s wrong. Whatever it is that brought you up here, it can’t be worth your life.”

“What do you know?!” The boy shouted, “You’re a hero! You’ve got a useful quirk! All I have is a vil-Mmph!”

Deku dropped the handkerchief and clamped his free hand over the boy’s mouth, his smile replaced by a frown. “Young man, you will listen to me here and now. I’ve seen people with healing quirks use them to kill people for no other reason than they could. People with fire quirks set houses on fire and burn people alive just because they can. Neither of these quirks is considered villainous. The people who did those awful things are villains, yes, the quirks themselves, no. You do not have a villain’s quirk. You have an incredibly useful quirk. You erased my quirk earlier. You can erase the out of control quirk of a child in tantrum. You can erase a quirk that is about to explode in someone’s face. But you do not have a villain’s quirk and whoever told you that is wrong.”

Deku took his hand off the boy’s mouth and ruffled his hair. “You have an incredible quirk, young man,” he grinned at the boy, “one with a great deal of potential and no one can convince me otherwise. So if a Hero thinks you have an incredible quirk, are you going to argue with him?”

The boy bowed his head, and Deku felt his shoulders shaking under his hand.

“No,” the boy whispered.

“Hmm?”

“I have an amazing quirk,” the boy whispered, “It is amazing because Hero Deku said so.”

“That’s right,” Deku smiled gently, “Now let’s put your shoes back on and get you off this bridge and back home. I’m sure your parents are worried about you.”

It wasn’t that easy, he thought, watching the boy put on his shoes. Emotional and mental abuse like that would not just vanish just because of one talk. For as long as he was here, Deku decided, he’d keep an eye on the boy. Deku knelt to pick up the boy who would grow up to become Eraserhead and leapt off the edge, using the support cables to slow their decent.

Body Flicker looked up from her phone when Deku’s boots hit the ground. “All resolved then?”

Deku laughed, “For the moment.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_Deku, in plainclothes, pauses by a sports store, staring at a familiar pair of yellow goggles in the display window. He goes inside and leaves a few minutes later with a paper bag tucked into his pocket._

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You think you’re better than us just because you have a villain’s quirk, huh? Let’s take out those eyes and see how great you are without your quirk!” The larger child took a pair of scissors and put the tip under the smaller boy’s eye and began to press down.

“No!” the smaller boy struggled, “Let go!”

“Hah! Not so great now are you?!”

“Hey now, kiddo,” a gloved hand clamped down on a small wrist in a firm but gentle grip, “You realize what you’re doing is called assault, and that assault is a crime right?”

The bigger boy glared at the man in green with a cream colored cape. “He’s a freak!” he shouted. “We’re better off without his villain quirk!”

“There is no such thing as a villain quirk, young man,” a woman knelt down and gently pried the scissors out of the child’s hands, being careful not to nick the smaller boy’s eyes.

“Body Flicker…” The bigger boy whispered in shock.

“There is, however, Villains, people who attack other people simply because they can, and vigilantes who are criminals who take the law into their own hands.” Body Flicker stood up, the scissors in her hand and stared down at the boy disapprovingly. “You’re too young to throw away your life as either kid. Leave punishing villains to the heroes. Now scram.”

The man let go of the boy’s wrist and the boy scarpered, leaving his victim with the two heroes.

“Deku…” the boy whispered.

“It’s alright, young man,” Deku smiled at the boy, “Do you know why? Because I am here now.”

Body Flicker choked. “That was so cheesy, Deku, seriously.”

“My teacher always said it, and he got it from his teacher! It reassures people, you know!”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“We really have to stop meeting like this, young man,” Deku panted as he grabbed the boy out of the street and raced past the Villain with the gun quirk, carrying the child under an arm like a sack of potatoes.

“Shouta.”

“What was that?”

“My name is Shouta.”

“Oh,” Deku vaulted over a female villain with tentacles for hair and couched on a lamp, adjusting his hold on the boy. “Hello Shouta. I’m Deku. Please don’t run into the middle of a pack of villains next time.”

“I was trying to cross the square to get to the barricades.”

“Next time, Shouta, stay put and signal the nearest hero for help. It’s safer.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You know, I’m starting to worry about you, Shouta,” Deku said conversationally as he snagged the boy by the collar and leapt up onto a fire escape as another hero, StrongArm, grappled with the villain below. “Not only are you on the streets at all hours of the night and day, I don’t think I have ever seen you with an adult.”

“Don’t have parents,” Shouta looked away mulishly, “The foster parents don’t care. If I die on the streets, to them, it’s fine because it’ll be one less villain in the world.”

“You’re not a villain, kiddo,” Deku said seriously. “And I’ve told you before, haven’t I? You have an excellent quirk for a hero. Most villains are way too reliant on their quirk anyway, and the majority of the population don’t even know what to do with their powers. Erase a villain’s quirk, and nine times out of ten, they’ll panic like headless chickens.”

_Body Flicker and Deku pay a visit to the foster home while Shouta is at school the next day. It turns out that Shouta’s wrong about his foster parents hating his quirk, they’re scared of it because if he erases his foster mother’s quirk at the wrong time, the patients she’s keeping alive at the hospital with it might die, but they care, they care **oh so much.**_

_“How can we take care of him when he won’t let us?!” the foster father shouted, “He never talks to anyone and glares at you when you try to get close! All we could do is make sure he keeps his room clean, make sure there's food for him to eat when he feels like it and leave him to his own devices!”_

_Body Flicker and Deku exchanged looks. The foster parents, after finding out about the extent of the bullying Shouta faces because of his quirk, come to understand his behavior some._

_A month later, after a discussion with Body Flicker and Deku they also agree to allow Body Flicker to sign Shouta up at a dojo. If a Professional Hero thinks the boy can make it as a hero, they will support their fosterling to their best abilities. They didn’t want Shouta to turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy, and that is what will happen if he doesn’t have a goal to work toward._

“Teenagers,” Body Flicker sighed in exasperation as they made their way back to her apartment.

“He’ll learn,” Deku said quietly, “Aizawa-sensei kept a picture of them on his desk in the office.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Again, Shouta?” Deku, clad in his olive field uniform complete with cream colored cape, yanks the boy back and away from the acid spitting villain by the collar. “I’m going to start thinking you have a death wish.”

“How am I supposed to practice my quirk then?”

Deku scooped up the boy so he was sitting in the crook of his elbow and leapt straight upward. “Get your friends and go to the beach! You can all get some quirk practice in then.”

Shouta turned his face against Deku’s cape and mumbled into the fabric.

“What was that?”

_Mumblemumblemumble_

“Shouta,” Deku landed on the roof top of a neighboring building and knelt to put the boy’s feet on the ground, though he did no let go of the child, “My quirk is Strength Augmentation, not Super Hearing.”

“I… I don’t have friends,” Shouta said louder, “No one wants to be friends with the Quirk stealing freak.”

“Shouta,” Deku sighed as he dropped to one knee, hands on the youth’s shoulders. “Look at me, Shouta.”

The boy lifted his head to stare at the Hero with red rimmed eyes. Deku smiled.

“You are not a quirk stealing freak, Shouta. You temporarily erase quirks, you don’t steal them. And I think you have an incredible quirk. There are so many applications for your quirk Shouta, it doesn’t matter if it’s not a very offensive or flashy quirk. It’s an excellent quirk, and for someone as intelligent and determined as you, it’s a perfect fit. Besides, no hero is a one trick pony.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Don’t you think you’re getting a little too invested in the kid?” Body Flicker asked one night during a lull in patrol. “You might wind up erasing your own future like this.”

Deku glanced at the other Hero and said, “He was quite invested in me back in Yuuei, you know. Aizawa-sensei would have been well within his rights to have expelled me on the spot after my poor showing during the quirk assessment tests. But he let me stay. The least I can do now is keep him alive.”

“That suicidal kid grows up to be a pro?” Body Flicker snorted, “You’ve got your work cut out for you, Deku.”

Deku grinned, “I can do it. That’s why I am Deku, the Hero who shouts, “Dekiru!” when faced with a challenge!”

“Stop changing your tagline, you walnut!”

_But the next time Deku encountered Shouta, Body Flicker was with him and they took Shouta to the nearest Dojo, where Body Flicker paid for a full year of lessons._

_“Deku has faith in you, so I’ll consider this an investment in your future,” she told the boy when Deku wandered off with the master of the dojo in deep discussion, “You had best apply yourself during lessons kid.”_

_“I won’t let either of you down!” Shouta swore._

_**Shouta’s foster parents throw a fit when they find out that Body Flicker has paid for a full year of lessons, but they let it go. Heroes are too damn stubborn to argue with when they set their mind to something, and if Body Flicker is invested in Shouta’s future, it only speaks of his potential. They won’t crush his dreams just for their pride.** _

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At some point, two months into his excursion into the past, Deku had fallen into the habit of taking Shouta to the park twice a week.

“Hey Deku?”

“Yes?”

“D-Do you think I could be a hero?”

Deku grinned at the boy. “I know you can, Shouta.”

“Then… Then could you… teach me?”

Deku studied the boy and said dryly, “How old are you exactly, Shouta?”

“I’ll be thirteen in at the end of the month!”

“Ask me again after your birthday.”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shota ran to the park, and paused when he saw Body Flicker, but no Deku. She looked up from the ground as he approached.

“Where’s Deku?”

“Sorry Kiddo,” Body Flicker knelt in front of him, “Deku’s not coming.”

Shota gaped. “But…”

Body Flicker sighed, “Deku’s gone, kid. He’s not coming back.”

That… That couldn’t be true… Deku was so strong…

“Deku’s the strongest,” Shota said, voice shaking, “He can’t…”

“Let this be your first lesson kiddo,” Body Flicker whispered as she pulled the boy into a hug. “Nothing is forever. Deku’s gone. But you know what kid?”

“What?”

“Deku said you’ve got what it takes. So you better become one hell of a hero, hmm?”

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shota isn’t sure why he kept coming back to the park. Deku was gone, there would be no more weekend trips to the ice cream cart or a wry smile as Shouta told the hero about the newest lessons at the dojo.  
Body Flicker was there sometimes, and it was Body Flicker who helped him prepare for the entrance exams to Yuuei.

He has just got his results from Yuuei when it finally happened. And Shouta learns that this was something his foster parents had been waiting for. That Body Flicker and Deku had kept his foster parents in the loop, and that they cared, they cared _so much._ All this time, he had never been as alone as he had thought. He sobs his grief at losing his-mentor? teacher? guide?-into his foster parents’ shoulders.

_That same year, Body Flicker is Killed in Action. To honor the heroes who had helped him get this far, Shouta makes a spectacle of himself at the Sports Festival, so much so that he gets transferred from General Education to Heroics. He meets the people who will become his lifelong friends there._

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aizawa Shota stared the newest batch of hopefuls aiming to get into the school. Among them, a small boy with green hair. His heart twisted in his chest. Was this child, perhaps, the relative of the hero who had saved him all those years ago?

_He feels like his heart has stopped in his chest when Midoriya picks his Hero name, “Deku: The Hero Who Can Do It!”_

_Nedzu answers his questions, shows him footage from two decades ago when a Hero in Green came through a warp gate in pursuit of a villain. Finally gives him the hand written letter Deku had left him before returning to his own time._

_Deku. The hero who set his feet on the path to Heroics, who helped Shouta grow closer to his foster family… All this time…_

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After Kamino Ward, Shouta wonders how the hell his reckless student ever becomes the level headed hero who had set the foundations of the man Shouta had become.

But Goddammit, he’s going to mold this child into the Hero Shouta remembers even if he has to die for it!

It’s the least he can do.

_Shouta is so proud of Midoriya when the day of his debut comes, and the boy single handedly holds up a collapsing building while other heroes dart in and out to rescue the trapped civilians._

 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey, Sensei,” Deku appears at the door of the staff lounge in his stealth uniform, “Can we talk?”

Shouta, a decade older, with grey in his hair, looks up and nods.

_A little boy and his mother hold each other as they watch on TV as three new Pro-Heroes make their Debut. They both cry, quietly, but full of relief as the heroes, Eraserhead, Present Mic, and Ingenium, apprehend the three Villains. The boy makes a promise to himself. One day, he will thank them, the heroes who took his father away so he couldn’t hurt him or mommy anymore._

 

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finite


	27. Imaginary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orchid Mantis will do anything to protect her son. Even if it means leaving him in the care of her estranged husband.

\---

Midoriya Inko is the sort of woman with a spine of steel, though her appearance does not show it. But the discovery of a Villain's Hideout under an orphanage, and the signs of several secret laboratories under group homes and preschools were not something any trained hero could ignore once it was discovered.

_ It is the unfortunate truth that the deaths of Underground Heroes tend to go unnoticed. Their secrecy regarding their work and universal aversion to anything related to the media and the spotlight means that too often, their peers and law enforcement don’t realize they are in trouble until it is far too late. The death of Orchid Mantis was the same; her death went unnoticed, unseen, and unremarked. Did alarm bells go off in the minds of her neighbors when both Midoriya Inko and her son failed to appear in public for however long it had been before her death? It was impossible to say. The only truth was that no one knew she was dead until local law enforcement, in the act of dredging a local river for the body of a suicide, pulls up the body of a Pro-Hero instead. Musutafu Police go mad trying to find the missing son of Orchid Mantis before the most surprising of figures steps forward with this child in one hand, and proof of paternity in the other. _

Naito Osamu, or Sir Nighteye as he was known to the public, suddenly found himself in charge of a five year old when his estranged wife left their son in his care. Izuku was adorable, at six years old, he was all puppyish enthusiasm and finding out his dad was a hero, even more, All Might's Sidekick, ramped up the boy's enthusiasm. All Might was almost immediately wrapped around Izuku’s little fingers, and Osamu wondered if he should be worried that All Might apparently was held higher in his son’s esteem than his own father.

There is a benefit to come out of this though, with a child running around, All Might goes out of his way to be a good role model. He takes better care of himself and doesn’t quite overwork himself as much. Osamu learns that Izuku has a big heart, and it takes one look at big green eyes filled with unshed tears and a trembling lower lip to get All Might to cave, and takes vicious advantage of that. It quickly becomes a thing to threaten to tell Izuku that All Might isn’t taking care of himself in order to get All Might to slow down, to rest, to eat, to just take the day off and let other heroes defend the city in his stead.

Izuku is ten when All Might battles All For One and is gravely injured as a result. Osamu and Gran Torino are at their wits end, trying their best to get Toshinori to either rest or retire, and Osamu is on the verge of using his quirk, hoping that the future he sees will convince Toshinori to see reason. What he sees is Izuku’s ruin. If he tries to use Toshinori’s death against him, Toshinori’s stubborn streak would rear its head and he would wither into a shell of himself, and Osamu would die five years later, leaving Izuku behind to the mercy of an explosive boy whose violence would drive Izuku’s mind to the breaking point, and Toshinori’s death from his injuries after would lead to Izuku’s spiral into madness and villainy.

Osamu does not respond to Toshinori’s increasingly worried queries. He leaves without saying a word. In his heart, a silent mantra of “ _ not Izuku, not Izuku, please, not Izuku _ ” rumbles like a never ending drumbeat. Osamu lies in his bed that night, the image of Izuku, wildeyed and soaked in blood, a mad, toothy grin slashing across his face, the bodies of his victims scattered around him, haunts his dreams. He’s never hated his quirk more.


	28. Imaginary (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku is a hero

 

Gran Torino and All Might do not approve, Osamu knows, but Izuku is his only son. He never wants to see him go down the past of villainy.  
“I'm not a villain, dad!”Izuku gasps, “I'm not!”  
“I know,” Osamu replies, “that's why I'm training you, so you will be strong enough to not be tempted.”  
“I'm not a villain!”  
“No, you're not. You're my son, a hero.”  
Izuku stared up at his father, and green eyes, previously wavering, confused and hurt, gleamed with determination. Osamu smiled. Izuku was starting to understand.  
“I’ll change that future dad! I will!”  
“Then show me your resolution. Attack me again.”  
\-----  
**Five Years Later**  
Osamu was dying. He stared into his son's eyes and wept from the injustice of it all. He'd trained his son into the ground, used All Night’s fondness for Izuku to keep the man running himself into the ground. He was there to see Toshinori give Izuku One For All. He'd seen his son burn like the sun and bloom in potential in Yuuei… But this was… This mission was the first and last he'd run with his son.  
It wasn't fair. Osamu wanted to see his son surpass Toshinori. To become the hero that they'd trained him to be…  
“Dad…” Izuku sobbed, holding his hand, “please don't go…”  
“Don't cry… Don't cry, Izuku.”  
“Dad! I'm not ready, dad…”  
“You are,” Osamu whispered, “you are ready, Izuku. After all these years… You've always done your best… You've come so far, Izuku… as your father, I've never been prouder… You're a hero, Izuku. My hero.”  
“Dad…”  
“The future can be changed, that's why… That's why… Izuku, you're a hero.”  
\-----  
**Ten Years Later**  
The sound of fire and distant explosions rang out even as the sound of crumbling concrete and the shrieking of torn metal was all that seemed to make up the world. Heroes and villains alike swarmed the scene, locked in combat in a war that began since the rise of quirks, the endless battle started by two brothers, One for All and All for One. Centuries later, the two latest successors of the Two Brothers were even now locked in combat, one to bring down the world of Heroes, the other to preserve it. The roars of the Noumu and the groans of the hurt and dying mixed into the cacophony, bringing to life an image that would not be out of place in the old illuminated manuscripts that described the landscapes of hell.  
Izuku and Shigaraki clashed over the years, again and again and again, but this time, towers of gleaming glass and metal, immaculate pavement where children had run to and from classes, it was all ruined. Yuuei was a school no longer, but a battlefield between Heroes and Villains. It broke Izuku’s heart to see the occasional small body, bloodied and cast aside carelessly like last week’s refuse. Most were Third Year Heroic Course students who stayed behind to buy time for their civilian classmates and underclassmen to run. The Second and First Year Hero Students had been set to work evacuating their classmates while their teachers and upperclassmen fought for their lives, only to sacrifice themselves in turn when the enemy pursued them.  
It seemed they were at a stalemate. Until in desperation, Deku flung a length of broken rebar at the gloating Shigaraki. The Villain, caught by surprise midlaugh, was launched backward as the rebar entered his mouth and punched through the back and a stump of concrete still attached to the rebar slammed into his face with the force of an out of control semi. Shigaraki hit the ground with the sound of crunching bone. All around them, the sound of the Noumus on rampage began to die off.  
His instincts screamed a warning and Deku twists and steps back, avoiding the knife by a hair's width. He turned fully and locks eyes with himself, bloodied and eyes wild, lips stretching across his face in a toothy rictus of a grin. izuku has never asked his father what he had seen in his vision that had driven Sir Nighteye’s mantra of “not a villain, not a villain,” through Izuku’s childhood. But looking at Himiko Toga on this battlefield wearing his face, Izuku wonders if this was what his father had seen in the vision that had driven his father half mad back when All Might had gotten the injury that led to his retirement…  
“Midoriya-chan~” Toga singsonged, “Look at you~ All covered in blood…. You’re so beautiful!”  
Izuku grimaced in disgust. “I don’t want to hear that from you.”  
“You say that,” Himiko giggled, “But you’re all dressed up for me!”  
Izuku glanced down at himself, absently noticing the bloodstains on his suit before quickly sidestepping Toga’s slash with her knife. “Well. Bloodstains kinda happen when fighting Shigaraki,” he mused, “He’s something of a mess.”  
“Midoriya-chan! Let me bloody you up some more!” Toga lunged forward, knives on both hands.  
Izuku dodges aside and a well placed chop drops the insane girl in an instant. Izuku sighs as his face melts back into Togas normal face. The blonde’s transformation has always been the most unsettling part of dealing with Toga.  
Gradually, without the Noumu to over power them, the sounds of fighting faded away as the heroes began to mow their way through the ranks of villains. It wasn't long before law enforcement began swarming the scene, slapping quirk suppressant cuffs on the villains and hauling them away even as emergency services tended to the wounded.  
It seems an eternity later, but as Izuku and the heroes and students who could still move under their own power came to the front entrance of the school, he stopped. There in the plaza was the monument to his father and uncle, set up by Yuuei after All Might finally passed away, peacefully and in his sleep, blood splattered, covered in ash and grime with small bits missing, but still standing tall and proud, watching over the new generation of heroes. Sir Nighteye and All Might stood back to back, stances strong and faces resolute. There was a gap there, and Izuku knew that on the day he died, Yuuei would place his image there also, the Son of Sir Nighteye and Godson of All Might, a Trinity of the most influential heroes to leave Yuuei. Izuku broke away from the crowd to stand at the feet of the men who had raised him and raised a fist in the direction of the statute, a firm salute, and a wordless declaration of victory.  
“Father. Uncle. You see? I am a hero. I won't forget your lessons. Please be proud of me.”  
He plunged back into the crowd of evacuating heroes and students. The fight was won, but there was still work to do.  
\---  
Finite  
  



	29. Little Things 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aizawa was going to kill her for poaching one of his students, but Nemuri is tired of seeing Midoriya break himself with his quirk. She calls a meeting with All Might and Midoriya's parents to discuss what could be done to help him.

Honestly, Nemuri had never considered the idea of taking on a student, but the way Yagi-Midoriya Izuku froze up and trembled in the presence of Bakugou Katsuki was deeply worrying. A parent-teacher conference revealed that Bakugou had once deliberately blown up Midoriya’s face years ago, and the boy got brought up on charges, but a judge had ruled the whole incident a case of quirk misfire, so the entire blame had landed on the school for not calling emergency services. It had been big news, Nemuri remembered the scandal that had led to schools around the country, Yuuei included, taking a long, hard look at their anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies. All Might himself was said to have gotten involved since Midoriya was the son of his secretary and that legal battle had been his last big public action before his retirement.

Then the boy appeared with a quirk, one that Recover Girl explained as having been dormant because it was too strong for his body, only manifesting when he began his training in preparation for Yuuei’s entrance exams. All Might was clearly the one who had been tutoring the boy, his style was practically imprinted onto the way the boy moved, the way he used his quirk, but it was very quickly clear that even now, the quirk was still too strong for the boy’s body as every use broke his bones. Aizawa could see All Might’s influence all over him, so he kept his hands off, as did most of the other teachers since they didn’t want to poach. But Nemuri was not most teachers, and there were ways to help the kid without poaching, and the sooner the better because at the rate Midoriya was going, the boy would cripple himself. She called for a parent-teacher conference and a tutor-teacher conference.

Surprisingly, only one parent came, Midoriya Inko was a small, soft woman with a spine of steel under that gentle and anxious demeanor, and Nemuri knew at a glance that Midoriya took after his mother. All Might towered over her in comparison, his smile as bright as ever, his shoulders still broad and strong under his garish yellow pinstripe suit, but his posture was less stiff: More relaxed. Everything about him had an aura of ease about him, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Nemuri thought that the lack of stress looked good on him.

“Retirement looks good on you, All Might,” Nemuri cooed, “It’s hard to believe you used to be so scrawny!”

All Might laughed good naturedly, “My true form is still scrawny, Midnight-san!”

That drew Nemuri up short. “Your true-All Might you mean you don’t look like this all the time?”

“No!” All Might laughed, “I wouldn’t be able to go out with my wife without being swarmed otherwise!”

Wife? Her confusion must have shown on her face because All Might held up his left hand, showing off the plain golden wedding band on his ring finger. Nemuri laughed as she made the mental note not to get too outrageous with her flirting; it was one thing to playfully flirt with a colleague, it was another thing to trample all over the boundaries that a wedding band set.

“Congratulations! I’m amazed we never heard about the wedding, but your wife must be very happy to not have to share you anymore!”

“She is,” All Might agreed, “Now, you called us here to discuss Young Midoriya?”

“Yes,” Nemuri stepped behind the desk of the meeting room, “Midoriya-san, All Might-san, would you like some tea before we begin? I’m afraid there are a few issues I need to discuss with you that the others seem… reluctant to bring up.”

The retired hero and the housewife exchanged looks. Nemuri could see an entire conversation taking place in that glance alone, and wondered just how close All Might was to his employees and their families, because that there, spoke of a closeness and familiarity far beyond simple friendship.

“Yes, thank you,” Midoriya-san said as All Might pulled out the chair for her.

Nemuri prepared the tea as she considered how she would open the discussion. This was a talk that Aizawa, as Midoriya’s Homeroom Teacher, should be having, but if he was going to keep his hands off, then for the sake of Midoriya’s future skeletal integrity, she would damn well do his job for him. There was no kind way of opening this can of worms, so blunt would have to do.

“Midoriya-san, All Might-san,” she said as she set their cups in front of them, “There is no easy way of saying this, and by all rights, it should be Aizawa-Sensei having this discussion with you. But as he’s decided on a hands off method, I have taken it on myself to talk to you. To put it bluntly, All Might, whatever methods you’re teaching Midoriya-kun, with his current poor control of his quirk, is so unsuited to his body that it is laughable. At the rate he’s going, his skeletal integrity is going to be so compromised that it will take only one good impact to shatter every bone in his body the first time he sets foot on the field.”

Midoriya-san looked shocked and All Might wore a grim expression, having obviously already known about the issue.

“I knew he was having problems,” she whispered, “But is it really that bad, Sensei?”

All Might sighed, “Unfortunately, Inko, it’s true. I’ve been working with Izuku on the matter of his control, but so far, nothing has worked. I’ve told him not to use his quirk if he can help it until we get to the bottom of his control issue, but clearly, he hasn’t been listening.”

“Quite the contrary,” Nemuri said, “He’s done quite admirably so far in his practicals without the use of his quirk. But the Battle Simulations portion of the course coming up, and he will be expected to use his quirk then.”

All Might fixed his eyes on Nemuri, blue eyes seeming to pierce right through her.

“What do you suggest we do then?” he asked, though Nemuri was sure he already knew what she was going to suggest.

Nemuri sighed, “At risk of sounding like I’m trying to poach your student, All Might, I’m going to go out on a limb and offer to train Midoriya in hand to hand.”

“But…” Nemuri and All Might turned their attention to Midoriya-san, who shrank back slightly in her chair. She swallowed hard and straightened, “But Midnight-san, isn’t your speciality crowd control and rescue? You’re not known for your combat skills.”

Midnight smiled ruefully, “It’s true that combat isn’t my speciality, but to quote Aizawa-sensei, ‘No good hero is a one trick pony.’ I am not a master of multiple styles like Aizawa-sensei, but I do have a black belt in Akido and Jiujutsu. They are not styles that compliment a Strength Augmentation quirk, but at the moment, every little bit helps. Midoriya can learn a more offensive style that better compliments his quirk later when he has more control.”

“I am not opposed,” All Might said, “My methods tend to involve punching my opponents into submission. Young Midoriya, with his current control, would be better served with formal hand to hand training. The discipline may also help him find a way to use his quirk without constantly hurting himself.”

Midoriya-san wrung her hands. “I can’t say I understand what goes into training a hero. But if it means Izuku will stop getting hurt, I will allow it.”

Nemuri didn’t quite sigh in relief, but if the look All Might shot her was any indication, her reaction amused him. How helpful of him, she thought acidly, before shoving the incourteous thought away.

“Alright, then I suppose we had best start planning his training schedule. It will have to take place before or after school hours…”

“Izuku runs in the morning before school,” Midoriya-san said.

“After school would be best,” All Might agreed, “I can easily arrange my own lessons to take place on the weekends instead, that way Midnight-san can build on Izuku’s hand to hand skills without taking time out of her weekend.”

Midoriya-san and All Might exchanged another significant look. Nemuri’s eyes narrowed. There was something going on here… She resolutely pushed the curiosity away. It was none of her business. Her job was to ensure the well being of one of her students, not meddle in the affairs of his parents and mentor.

\---

TBC


	30. Windward Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once upon a time, a heroine left her daughter with her estranged brother. An Underground Hero thinks he might be falling in love with the owner of his neighborhood's bakery, and All Might and his new sidekick make waves.

Two years after Sir Nighteye leaves All Might, All Might appears in public with a new sidekick.

Kikyo is very different from Sir Nighteye, for one, her selling gimmick is apparently her innocence, and All Might plays it up in the form of what the press have begun calling, "Overprotective Dad Might." Where Sir Nighteye made a point of being professional and no-nonsense, Kikyou played up being shy, cute, sweet and reliable. Where All Might was stubborn and allowed Sir Nighteye to go his own way, All Might hovered over Kikyo in the way that was more characteristic of an over-protective father. Sir Nighteye grew to hate Kikyo and her sailor uniform and All Might's penchant for carrying her around everywhere wrapped up in his cape. 

In the same breath though, Nighteye can see that having Kikyou around is doing All Might a lot of good. It seems that Kikyo is reminding All Might to eat, to rest, to take it easy, and unlike when Gran Torino or Sir Nighteye worries about him, All Might listens. But it's not that All Might actually listens when Kikyo worried about him that Sir Nighteye hated about the situation. In fact, the revelation of Kikyo in his life explained a lot about some of the changes All Might had made to his lifestyle. What Sir Nighteye really hated was that All Might had not trusted him enough to tell him about his family, that something had happened to put All Might in the position of being a guardian. 

"Who even is this girl?!" He demanded on the phone.

Toshinori's sigh was exhausted and resigned, "Kikyo is Kikyo. You needn't worry about her, you know?"

"That isn't the point! I had to practically stalk you, and even then you were reluctant! How do you know she is not using you simply for the name?!"

"That is enough, Osamu," Toshinori's words bore the undertone of danger. Nighteye flinched away from the phone for a moment. He's heard that tone turned toward villains, but never- "I gave you a chance and you performed magnificently. Having given you the chance, why should I not give her the same courtesy?" Toshinori's voice gentled but lost none of the underlying growl in it, "Trust that I know what I am doing, Osamu."

"....Yes sir."

\------

A year before Nighteye left him, Toshinori receives a call from his younger half-sister, Inko. Her daughter was one of the shrinking minority of children to be born quirkless and had been attacked by a classmate and nearly killed. It was the trauma of the attack force activating a latent healing quirk that saved her life. For Inko, who had been struggling to juggle the monumental task of being both a hero and a single mother since the death of her husband, it was the last straw. She feared, having been unable to anticipate the attack despite warning signs that children at school were becoming physically violent toward Izumi, that her Undercover work was interfering with her ability to properly rear her child. Toshinori agreed to his sister's request and took custody of the girl at once. With a child to look after, Toshinori has to change his habits even as a civilian, and so, for the first time since his father's death when he was thirteen, Toshinori returns home to Musutafu and reopens the family bakery, the Midori-ya, in the process. And was how Yagi Izumi came to be in the custody of her uncle while taking on his family name for her own protection.

When Nighteye leaves him, Toshinori throws his effort into running the bakery, a task that Izumi had somehow managed in the six months he'd spent in the hospital undergoing surgery after surgery in a bid to save his life. 

((In another world, Toshinori would have just kept up with his hero work, ignoring the way his body screamed it's protest of his treatment of it until the slightest strain threatened to put him out of commission permanently. In this world, Toshinori rested more. Lifting a 50lb bag of flour was normally no problem for him, but his side screamed in agony when he did, and Kikyou and the two girls who helped with the baking and manning the tables always flutttered and hovered and worried when he showed even the slights signs of discomfort. So Toshinori's decline into ill health was slower, by virtue of his needing to be a responsible guardian forcing him to remember that he needed to take care of himself as well.))

\-------

Aizawa Shouta has never wanted to be a school teacher, but having tasted the joys of grooming young heroes into greatness, he has thrown himself wholeheartedly into the profession. (The regular paycheck helped too. Underground work didn't pay very well. It was a lot of hard work for little gain.) Now he's never been a people person, and having to juggle teaching rebellious and arrogant teenagers while also having to be a hero is no easy task. Being a teacher means that work is not over just because it's the end of the school day, and teachers don't get paid for the time spent grading or creating and adjusting lesson plans at home. That on top of a hero means Shouta does not get very much sleep as a rule. So when a bakery opens up near his apartment on the way to Yuuei, Shouta is understandably ecstatic.

Bakeries like the Midori-ya usually had coffee, and Shouta very much liked their coffee. They made great coffee, and the owner's niece showed signs of a budding skill in quirk analysis. As a teacher, Shouta felt it was his duty to cultivate the ability, and Yagi Izumi's eagerness to learn was a breath of fresh air compared to the laziness of his usual crop of students.

A year after the Midori-ya opened, Shouta was doubly impressed by Yagi Izumi's dedication when he found out that the eleven year old was successfully juggling school work, extracurricular physical training, and managing the bakery while her uncle was in the hospital and still managed to find time to do independent studies for her quirk. She was clearly struggling, Meiou Middle School was known for its intensive curriculum, and it made it all the more impressive that Izumi kept up regardless. She seemed almost relieved when Shouta offered to tutor her schoolwork on her free days on the weekend. Shouta wished sometimes that his students were as dedicated as she was-it would make his job so much easier.

Then Yagi came back from the hospital and Shouta realized exactly where the girl got it from. The foolish man seemed constantly tired, and lifting 50lb sacks of flour obviously aggravated his healing injuries, so much so, the man would wind up unable to move from the agony if he persisted. Fortunately, neither of the shop's two employees were shy about nagging the man to rest, and obviously, as staff in a bakery often were, were perfectly capable of carrying the bulk bags of flour themselves. Foolish his persistent determination to work rather than rest was, Shouta very much admired the man's dedication to his work.

\------

Izumi could hardly believe how much had changed in the space of a few years. Her mother was a hero and even more importantly, she was the younger half sister of All Might. All Might was her uncle. Izumi learned that in his civilian life, her uncle was more Toshinori than All Might, and Toshinori was a bit of a socially awkward dork. He was prone to overworking himself, and much too fond of making dad jokes, and usually had no idea how to take care of himself say nothing about a small human utterly reliant on him.

It also turned out that before her mom and uncle became Heroes, the family's original profession was bakers. After their father had died, the bakery closed but neither Inko nor Toshinori had sold the bakery because you never knew if one of them would need to retire and needed a source of income that was not heroism. For quirkless Izumi, the bakery was to be her inheritance, and Toshinori reopened it for her. Izumi loved her dork-ass uncle so much, even when he was an embarrassingly awkward cabbage.

Izumi is horrified when Detective Naomasa stops by the house to tell her that her Uncle is in the hospital. He smuggles her past Sir Nighteye and Gran Torino to see her uncle. He's drugged to the gills because his injuries cause him so much pain, and Naomasa is watching her like a hawk so she can't even take the edge off the injuries. Actually, Izumi doesn't dare try because without knowing exactly what was going on in her Uncle's body, she might make something heal wrong and make things worse.

All she can do is go home and try to keep the bakery running.

"You look exhausted, Yagi," Aizawa slouched in his seat, bloodshot eyes scanning her face over his cup of coffee.

"Uncle got into an altercation with a villain recently," Izumi rushed to finish her sentence when the hero straightened in his seat in alarm, "He's currently in the hospital. The doctors have several surgeries lined up to fix some of the damage."

Aizawa studied her for a moment and said gently, "If you need anything, Yagi, you can always ask me."

Izumi's smile was tired, but hopeful. "Thank you, Aizawa-san. I will keep that in mind."

\------

When Izumi is eleven, during one of her visits to her uncle in the hospital, she finally admits to Toshinori her dream of becoming a hero. She knows with her healing quirk that she cannot be a conventional hero, but she wants to try anyway. She doesn't know how much of his glazed, distant stare is the drugs and how much of it was his considering her words, and the worry that he disapproves sits heavily in her chest as Naomasa drives her home.

The next weekend, when Naomasa takes her to the hospital, there is an older man in the room. Izumi recognizes him from Toshinori's pictures immediately, his former teacher, Gran Torino.

"This is her then?" the elderly hero asked.

"Yes," Toshinori's voice rasped with pain, but he was awake and aware. "My niece, Izumi."

"And a healing quirk, you said?"

"Yes, sensei."

"Hmm..." Gran Torino eyed Izumi critically. "It's not going to be easy, especially with a quirk like hers. She's going to need a strong, agile body to compensate. Training a teenage girl will be very different from training a teenage boy too."

"Please start her out to your best ability, sensei," Toshinori said, "I'll take care of the rest when I have recovered."

"Take your time," Gran Torino scolded, "Even the basics will take time."

"Uncle?" Izumi gawped. She had to be dreaming. This was a dream, right?

Toshinori smiled wearily, "Gran Torino was my old Homeroom teacher in Yuuei. I've told you about him before yes?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Gran Torino will start you out," Toshinori's smile took on a self-deprecating edge, "and I will take over when I am recovered. Work hard, ok?"

"Yes Uncle! I will!"

\-------

Izumi was worked to the bone. She was grateful for Aizawa-san's weekend tutoring. She's not sure she would have managed six months of her schedule without his help, actually, her independent studies for her healing quirk would have needed to be put on hold if she was to keep up her grades, the requirement Gran Torino had set for her training.

Toshinori returning from the hospital took some of the work off her shoulders. Not all of it, but as Toshinori's injury meant he had to leave the physical labor to the girls, he did retake the work of the bookkeeping and the food orders. That freed up time and Izuku found her schedule of prepwork for the day in the morning, school in the day, physical training in the afternoon, homework at night, and helping out on the bakery's cafe on the weekend, much more manageable.

\-------

A year after Toshinori's hospitalization, he was as recovered as he could be. His stomach had been fully removed and he had some issues with his left lung, but his doctors were optimistic for his recovery.

This was when disaster struck. 

The Orchid Mantis was found hanging by the ankles from Rainbow Bridge with the marks of torture on her. Most prominent of the marks on her body was the mark of the Seven Sins seared into her bare back, and Toshinori blessed the fact that Inko had left Izumi with him and that they had both been reared by different parents with different names. The Seven Sins were infamous for targeting the families of Heroes found undercover in their ranks and he feared to think of what would have happened to Izumi had she still been living with Inko when her cover was blown.

Toshinori mourned the loss of the sister he never really knew, and recalling that Aizawa had started out his Underground career interning with Mantis and Dragon Agency, mentioned in passing that Izumi was the Orchid Mantis' daughter. Predictably, hero to the core, Aizawa zeroed in on Izumi, and student and child bonded over the loss of a remarkable woman.

Aizawa returned to the bakery one Friday while Izumi was out training with Gran Torino.

"Orchid Mantis was your sister," he said, leaning against the counter.

Toshinori glanced up from the cake he was frosting. "Yes."

"You don't seem very broken up about it."

"Inko and I had the same father in common, but otherwise we were never very close," Toshinori admitted, "She was younger than me by ten years and I wasn't aware of her until she graduated from Yuuei and did her first two years internship at the Agency I worked with."

"But she trusted you enough to leave her daughter with you."

Toshinori's smile was grim. "Trust me, Aizawa-kun. I may not be very active as a hero anymore, but years ago, I was among the best in the industry. My sister put her faith in the reputation I had built up during that time."

Aizawa gave him a blank stare. "Must be a hell of a reputation if you go so far out of your way to keep you civilian life and hero identity separate to the point I don't think I've ever heard of you until recently."

"Then I've done my job right," Toshinori replied absently as he began adding frosting rosettes to the cake.

"Hmm... I do like a man who can do his job right."

Toshinori's hand jerked and he stared at Aizawa incredulously. Aizawa grinned, crooked and toothy as his eyes raked up and down Toshinori’s body suggestively.

"You can't just say things like that, Aizawa-kun," Toshinori protested with a shy smile, "Old man like me, I'll have a heart attack from the shock."

"I highly doubt that a few words can kill you if you can survive an injury that leaves you in the hospital for six months."

"Your faith in me is commendable, Aizawa-kun."

"You're still alive, aren't you?"

Toshinori laughed breathlessly as he finished adding the last of the rosettes to the cake.

\------

“An intern?” Izumi stared at the paperwork her uncle placed on the table in front of her. “Why an intern?”

“It will eventually get out that I am training you,” Toshinori said, “It’s more plausible that I would train one of my Interns rather than having picked up a child out of the blue. The Internship would also mean that you can conceivably do hero work without a provisional license so long as you are under the direction of a hero affiliated with my Agency.”

“Oh.”

And so the foundations for her debut was laid.

\-----

Two years after Sir Nighteye leaves and All Might returns from where ever he’s been, the All Might Agency goes silent. They issue the usual reports of press conferences, of events All Might will be attending, and reports still get filed on time, fees are still being paid. But the normal gossip doesn't leak out. Every member of the staff has gone silent; they no longer talk about work or All Might when they eat out. Other Hero Agencies in the city begin to take notice.

And then, suddenly, All Might has a new sidekick and she is young. Or at least, she appears young. The All Might Agency calls her Kikyo and as if to emphasize her young age, her costume is designed to resemble a sailor fuku in All Might's colors with a puffy little hat that has a canary yellow V-shaped tuft standing up in the front like the ones on the hoods of those little All Might Onesies that are so popular among small children. The media have a blast goodnaturedly ribbing All Might about it, asking who thought it was a good idea to let All Might dress a little girl so gaudily and all the while, Kikyo shyly fiddles with the chain wrapped around her waist while All Might booms cheerfully with laughter. 

All Might has a propensity for carrying her everywhere, cradled in his arms like a baby or perched on one massive shoulder, swathed in his cape like a large, knife proof, fireproof, and waterproof blanket. The notoriously private Hero is now seen after villain encounters taking Kikyo to ice cream parlours and sweet shops, sometimes in bookstores and music stores. The Media swoon over All Might's paternal antics, and the seemingly delicate build of Kikyo in comparison to her partner. Tiny, graceful, birdlike Kikyo has, on one occasion, curled up in All Might's cupped hands at the request of a fan, much to the delight of the watchers present.

Kikyo smiles under her half mask, a trembly, tiny little smile that is somehow as brilliant as All Might's despite the shyness, and she evacuates civilians while All Might fights. She coordinates with police, smiles shyly for the camera, and hides behind All Might's massive legs, tucking herself under his cape when other heroes approach. The media loves how All Might's smile wobbles slightly when that happens and a large hand presses the lump under his cape closer, almost protectively, and his booming voice turns soft and smooth (like whiskey over velvet as described by a swooning Midnight) as he tries to coax her out from hiding. Hero Agencies across the country sit up and take notice as theories begin to form.

\------

Izumi is thirteen when her Uncle takes her down to Dagobah Beach. “Uncle?”

“These past few years, Gran Torino and I have trained you to defend yourself without a quirk. Now, we will prepare your body to receive One for All.”

Izumi’s eyes widened. “Me?”

Toshinori smiled, “Yes. You. Your job is to clean up this beach, from here to….” He pointed off into the horizon, “Over there! Let’s get started Izumi!”

“Yes sir!”

\------

Eraserhead is not impressed by the appearance of Kikyo beside All Might. Not because of Kikyo’s draw to people, the girl did not go out of her way to seek the limelight, if anything, she went out of her way to avoid it. No, it was because of her age. How reckless was it of All Might to bring a child to scenes of Villain Activity? And worse, just how old was she? She looked around ten to him. The only reason Eraserhead had not yet torn into All Might for his sheer recklessness was the conversation he’s heard in passing once, in which All Might had told Kikyo that she was never to engage a villain without express permission from a licensed hero, and to her credit, Kikyo obeys.

\------

All Might’s public appearances begin to decline. Izumi’s training begins to intensify. At the start of Izumi’s third year in Middle School, her uncle deems her ready, if only just.

“Eat this!”

Izumi stares at the hair. “Uncle… What?”

“You need to ingest my DNA in order to get my quirk. If you don’t want to do that route, there are others! Of course, I can always just spit in your food….”

“Uncle Toshi, shut up and just gimme the hair…” Izumi was sure her face was about to combust.

\-----

Kikyo does not actively engage villains in combat unless All Might expressly tells her so. But it turns out that the chain around her waist is made with the same technology and materials as Quirk Suppressant Cuffs and a mixture of alloys similar to the ones woven into Eraserhead’s capture weapon. Eraserhead quietly gives her a few tips about how to tie and restrain a villain with speed and efficiency one evening when the villain she’s restrained slips out from the loops of the chain and he intervenes with his capture weapon, hoisting the villain up to dangle from a lamppost as he demonstrates on an unconscious villain how to position the arms and to loop the chain in a way that would make it more difficult to escape. Kiyko’s smile is bright and eager and takes him back to the bakery only blocks away from his apartment and a little girl whose uncle owns said bakery.

\-----

The year Izumi turns Fifteen, All Might holds a press conference.

The media goes wild to hear that All Might is planning on retiring.

“All Might! All Might! Kizuki Tohru from Heroes Weekly! What are you planning on doing in your retirement?! Why now of all times?”

All Might’s smile falters and he says gently, “My sister, also a Pro-Hero, passed away recently, and I am now guardian to my niece. And I know I don’t look it, but I am almost sixty. I am slowing down. Better that I retire now than later. I might look into teaching, or maybe I’ll reopen my mother’s bakery. I don’t know just yet. But it won’t be happening right away; I will be cutting my time as an active hero, however. It’s time for the new generation to fend for themselves!”

The media is whipped into a frenzy of theorizing. All Might had a sister all this time? He has a niece?! Who were these people and why were they only just now hearing about them?!

Someone brings up the paternal manner in which All Might treats Kikyo, another person shoots it down on grounds that Kikyo has been present for just under four years now, and yet another person insists that there is no other reason why such a young girl would be allowed to trail All Might on his patrols unless their parents trusted him implicitly.

All Might however, says nothing more on the matter. Even Kikyo, with less shyness and more steel than her normal persona, replies to queries with only, “No comment.”

\-----

TBC


	31. Bite the Hand that Feeds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one knows when the phenomena began, but once a year the gates that separate the living from the dead are thrown open wide. On that night, the dead come forth, visiting, aiding, and sometimes taking vengeance.

Everyone is followed by at least one ghost; usually a family member who either stays behind to guide them or a spouse who could not bear to be parted, and sometimes their own child, too small and frightened to leave their parent, and occasionally a friend. Even Heroes have ghosts though more numerous than the average person. The very nature of the job means they are surrounded by them; the lingering souls of the people they failed to save, people they had to sacrifice or leave behind, people who came back out of gratitude, and the vengeful villains who died at their hands. Under normal circumstances, the ghosts are simply that, unseen, unheard, and unacknowledged-but then once a year the gates that divide the living from the dead are thrown open wide.

And the Ghosts roam. For one day and one night, from the stroke of midnight to the stroke of midnight, the dead walk among the living, and the hungry dead, for one year who could only watch, are able to touch the living. And so for those in power, those who uphold the law, those who break them, it is a night of caution. For those in these professions, it's wise not to make too many enemies, for if your enemies outnumber your friends, the Ghosts would tear you apart.

Number One Hero, Ground Zero has never cared about making enemies. Whether he acknowledged it or not, his strongest ghost was also his greatest victim, and most of Ground Zero's Ghosts agreed; the boy's obsession with the Hero was not healthy. All of them did their best to turn away the child from Ground Zero, send him off to haunt one of his beloved heroes or even the young sibling his mother and father had produced when they came together in their grief after loosing their son. But Midoriya Izuku was as stubborn in death as he was in life, and not even the eight heroes of Eras past who claimed him as their successor, including the famous All Might who in death appeared as he had in his prime, could pry him from Ground Zero's side except for more than a day or two.

Forever sixteen, Izuku seemed to hold no grudge against his murderer, even when All Might glowered and rumbled angrily when reminded of the fateful exercise that lead to his chosen successor's death.

Ground Zero screamed and raged at his peers, at the media, at the villains, who, year after year, expressed surprise that he had not been killed by his ghosts yet. He even screamed and raged at the Ghosts who protected him, the singularly most ungrateful act that lead to his becoming pariah even among men like Endeavor. Endeavor who was an asshole of epic proportions had expressed his surprise that the boy would so readily take for granted the few ghosts who protected him, who had eventually been ripped apart by jilted fans, victims, and villains alike when his parents were finally overwhelmed by the sheer number of Hungry Ghosts out for their favorite child's blood-proof that even the most devoted protectors would someday be overwhelmed.

"It's the worst kind of Stockholm Syndrome," Eraserhead said wearily at the Shrine to All Might as he left an offering of sticky rice balls and green tea to his old friend and former co-worker, "One day though, Yagi, you will get through to the Problem Child, and I'm afraid Bakugou won't last the night when that happens."

One year, Dabi visited the grave of the child that had been his younger brother's first friend. Endeavor's Hungry Ghosts were not content with the man's death, and some had turned their eyes to the children, of whom only one had gone on to become a hero. Villain or no, Dabi was still Todoroki Touya at heart, and he loved his youngest brother who had grown up to be a far better man then their father. That year, Todoroki Shouto found he had Nine new protectors, his first friend and his eight predecessors.

Sure enough. That year, when the gate of the Dead were thrown open, the Hero Ground Zero was found torn into so many pieces, scattered across so wide an area, it was doubtful they would ever find all the parts of him.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish," Hero Phantom Thief sneered when approached by the media on the topic, "He didn't deserve the protection Deku provided."

"Deku always was blind to Ground Zero's faults," Uravity sighed, "I hope he understands this isn't his fault. I hope the afterlife separates them, Deku deserves some peace."

Who knows if Uravity's wishes came true? Certainly Midoriya Izuku and his predecessors did not appear again unless, for whatever reason, his former classmates and teachers prayed for him to make an appearance that year. And one day, not even prayers drew him to his peers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decades after the death of All Might at Kamino Ward, a little boy is born with green hair and green eyes, and a quirk much too strong for his body.
> 
> Aizawa Shouta looks at his grandson and sighs. "Welcome home, Problem Child. We'll make sure you have a better life than the last."
> 
> Hitoshi Shinso looks at the newborn infant who so resembles his old classmate.
> 
> "Welcome home, Izuku."


	32. Most Beautiful Before the Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stain is not the first person to go after heroes. He's just the most obvious about it. When the identity of a pair of wily Hero Killers come out, it sends shock waves through the Hero Industry and the Criminal Underworld.

The youth leaned against the wall as he wiped his knife clean of blood. He glanced over at the young woman beside him as she carefully maneuvered things, including the a homeless man, who was bound and gagged, his eyes shining and terrified. The youth stepped forward again, and not too long later, the body of the homeless man was dropped to the ground near the fallen hero, just another prop to cover the true crime. By the time Law enforcement arrived, the two dark haired adolescents were gone, and the scene was declared to have been the scene of a very different crime.

The Propulsion Hero: Jet Stream was mentioned in an obituary: "Killed in action."

 

* * *

 

Years later, the number of heroes killed in action seemed to hold steady. Until a man began openly targeting heroes.

The dark haired youth, now a man, lowered the newspaper and gave the dark haired woman, his long time partner in crime, a bland look.

"The Hero Killer strikes again," he said.

"Oh?" the woman asked.

"The Beastly Hero: Manticore was found dead in Chiba of multiple stab wounds."

"Audacious," she replied, "and a terrible waste. Manticore's heart was in the right place though his personality could have used some work."

"He's not even targeting the real waste of space," the man agreed as the woman set a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Not everyone takes the time to see what kind of person their victims are, dear. Now drink your coffee and get going. All Might is teaching his first class today, isn't he?"

"He's a shit teacher, even I know that and he hasn't taught his first class yet," Aizawa Shouta rose to his feet. "And they're your students also, Nemuri."

"But you're their homeroom teacher, Sho-u-ta~"

"Ugh, don't do that," he made a face. "We're going after Agate Scorpion tonight right?"

"Don't worry," Nemuri smirked, "Everything is in place. That hypocrite won't be hurting little boys ever again after we're done with him."

Aizawa's smile was toothy and hungry as he crowded his partner up against the wall. "I love a competent woman."

* * *

 

"That man has gone too far!" Nemuri shrieked furiously, "Tensei of all people! How can he claim to be clearing the world of unworthy heroes when he destroys the good along with the bad!"

"He's a fool," Aizawa scoffed, "You can't change the Industry from the outside. Even if you could, he's going about it the wrong way."

"Can we kill him, Shouta? Please?"

"When he comes to Musutafu, sure."

-

The local underworld wondered whom it was that the Hero Viper had pissed off. Her death had been messy and bore the hallmarks of at least three different family's execution styles, though all three families denied having murdered the hero.

_"This is Bella Fiore with Maulberry News reporting live from the scene. The Camouflage Hero: Viper was found dead this morning behind a local business. Law Enforcement believes that the undercover hero had been discovered by the criminal organization she was infiltrating. No further information was released as the investigation is still ongoing."_

* * *

 

Midoriya Izuku turned down the ally and the trash bag hit the ground with a thump.

"Aizawa-sensei? Midnight-Sensei?" green eyes were wide with confusion and fear as he took in the fallen form of Jet Burst, with his teachers leaning over him, "What happened?!"

Aizawa half-turned and pinched the bridge of his nose as he took in the frightened expression on his student's face. He'd known that they were too close to one of the students, but to have offed a so-called hero practically right in front of All Might's protege off all people... Fortunately his capture weapon was wound around his shoulders and not binding Jet Burst anymore, and even more fortunately, Midnight had not used her quirk on him either.

"Midoriya," he said wearily, "Go back inside and call an ambulance. It looks like Jet Burst got on the wrong side of a villain."

"Yessir!"

Nemuri and Aizawa exchanged relieved looks as the boy ran back into the apartment building. That was close. If Midoriya had come out just a few minutes earlier, they would have had to kill a promising young hero who could have grown up to become a hero who saved millions.

-

The news reported the death of a local hero the next day. Hero Jet Burst: Killed in the Line of Duty.

* * *

 

Aizawa and Nemuri were in a towering fury. Stain had nearly killed three of their students, all in the name of purging the world of so-called false heroes. And worse yet, he'd killed at least three young heroes who had not even had the chance to fully realize the kind of heroes they could have been, young people who had barely graduated from school that year. Here was a man who claimed to be doing what they were trying to do, but he'd gone and made things worse.

He'd made it so much harder for them to kill off the false heroes because practically every hero was on their guard for a knife to the back.

And now, with Stain's principles spreading across the internet, there were going to be more wanna-be Hero-Killers. Heroes would be even more cautious now. Their job was getting harder.

Nemuri groaned in pain as Aizawa threw her across the training room for the third time since they received the call from Hosu.

And their kids were going to be the death of them. But if nothing else, they knew they had a good crop this year. All of them had a good heroic spirit, though there were a handful who would have to be offed if they didn't pull their head out of their asses by graduation. It wouldn't do to let Bakugou grow up to be another Endeavor after all.

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ten Years Later, they were confronted by a former student. It was perhaps fate that the same student they'd nearly been caught by all those years ago was the one who put together all the clues.
> 
> As the quirk suppressing cuffs were snapped around their wrists, Aizawa smiled crookedly at his former pupil.
> 
> "You really are the cream of the crop, you know?"
> 
> Deku's eyes were sad but determined. "You were the best teacher I'd ever had, sensei. Thank you for the lessons."
> 
> "We'll be watching from Tartarus!" Nemuri winked, "Make us proud ok?"
> 
> "I'll do your lessons justice."
> 
> _"This is Bella Fiore reporting for Maulberry News! The Heroics Industry was shocked to the core when it was discovered two respected Heroics Teachers from Yuuei, Eraserhead and Midnight have been abusing their positions as Heroes and Teachers to target and murder heroes all along! Rising Star Deku has been lauded by the police force for uncovering the deceptions of these two terrible villains! More on this later! Back you you in the Station!"_


	33. Yuuei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To have a quirk, regardless of what it is, is to have your future laid before your feet. To be quirkless is to have no future. How can you have a future when you have nothing to display your purpose in society?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the movie Gattica

The result was clear. The red symbol told the viewer everything they needed to know. her unborn child was Quirkless. Useless. Futureless. Inko covered her mouth in horror.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Midoriya," the doctor said coldly, "Your child is quirkless. As you know, the lifespan of a Quirkless is less than twenty years. It will be a miracle if he reaches twenty five. There is also a whole list of health problems associated with Quirklessness, up to and including a poor circulatory system, a weak respiratory system and a nigh to nonexistent immune system. My suggestion, ma'am, is to abort the fetus while you can and try again. Perhaps with a partner with a stronger Quirk."

"No!" the rejection boomed and echoed in the small room. Hizashi held his wife close, glaring furiously at the doctor as he shoved his quirk down so he could speak without destroying everyone's eardrums, "You're wrong. You'll see."

The couple left.

The doctor shook his head as he began to type up the report for filing. The couple would see sense later. They always did.

* * *

 

Hizashi and Inko decided to try again. Their son, Izuku was still very young, but if they gave him a brother, one with a quirk, then Izuku would always be taken care of even after they were gone.

They sighed in relief as the result read positive. Their second child had a quirk. 

"Katsuki will take care of him," Inko said firmly, "We'll make sure of it!"

* * *

 

As it turned out, they were very wrong.

Katsuki had a volatile quirk and a temper to match, and he had absolutely no qualms using his power against his older brother.

"How stupid," Katsuki snarled, "You're Quirkless. That means useless! Don't waste your time. You're not going to be ANYTHING. You're just a waste of space! Just DIE already you stupid Deku!"

Inko and Hizashi quickly began to see why the Quirkless had such a short lifespan.

"Mama, Papa," the child said, "Do... do you think I can make someone of myself?"

"Oh Izuku..." Inko sobbed, "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry!"

"Papa?"

Hizashi closed his eyes in pain. "Yes. If you live long enough, yes."

"Hizashi!" Inko shouted, "Don't give him false hope!"

"I'm not!" Hizashi replied hotly, "I'm telling him the truth!"

* * *

The years passed, Inko and Hizashi drifted apart. Hizashi started spending more time on patrol and sleeping in the office at his agency, and his co-workers at the radio station saw him more than his family. Katsuki, constantly praised for his strong quirk, grew more and more arrogant. Izuku, bullied and beaten and spat on, held in his heart a small glowing ember of hope. His father's words resonated in his heart. He studied hard and trained hard. He needed a good education and physical constitution, he needed to get stronger. He'll prove his father right. Present Mic would one day be able to crow about the skills and victories of his eldest son on the radio. Izuku swore it.

Ordinarily, a Quirkless would never have been accepted into any self-respecting High School. But no self respecting High School would say no to Yamada Hizashi, especially after he dropped a sizable donation once a semester, ever semester, to the school for as long as his eldest son was one of their students. So Izuku, unlike other Quirkless, got a High School education.

"Why even bother?" Katsuki sneered as he systematically destroyed Izuku's schoolbooks. "You're just wasting Dad's money. Jump off a roof and spare him the expense already!"

* * *

 

 

A job opened up a Seiketsu Incorporated. Izuku blew right through the employment exams with no problems.

Then an insurmountable hurdle appeared in the form of the genetic test.

It didn't matter that he was better qualified than all the other candidates. He was quirkless.

Izuku was bundled up with the other handful of quirkless job seekers.

"Look on the bright side!" Tia Ballard said cheerfully as the golf cart zipped down the halls, the trailer full of cleaning supplies rattling behind them, "At least we can claim to be employed by a Fortune 500 company! It's more than other Quirkless can say!"

It was true. But it rankled.

* * *

 

At least two years down the line, everything changed.

Aizawa Shouta was the shady kinda guy that everyone avoided because he was clearly up to no good. There was no doubt that he was up to no good though, at least, in the majority view. Aizawa made a living selling identities, to be exact, the identities of Quirked individuals to Quirkless individuals. It was, at it's basic core, legally, identity theft.

Morally though, he was doing the Quirkless a favor. Almost all the identities he sold were deficient in someway, usually the civilian identities of Heroes too badly injured to do much of anything, and all of them had willingly given up their identities for this use, their last heroic action, allowing those that society would not give a chance to make something of themselves.

"His name is Toshinori Yagi," Aizawa said wearily, "Age 40, with a stockpiling quirk that looks, outwardly at least, like a strength quirk. The very nature of his quirk, and the genetic evolution that made his body able to bear the stress of it, made him practically immortal. On paper at least. He was a top hero for a while."

"Oh?" Izuku's old curiosity reared it's head, "What happened?"

"I got careless." The tall blonde appeared, he was thin, sickly so, and it looked as if he were about to collapse under the weight of his own body.

"You..." Izuku's eyes widened, "You're All Might!"

"I was once All Might," the former hero said wearily, "But now, that's you." He looked his successor up and down before saying to Aizawa, "He's too short, Aizawa my man!"

"Easily enough remedied," Aizawa said coldly, "I remind you that you picked him out of a list of candidates. And why are you out of your wheel chair? Do you _want_ your bones to turn to powder?"

"Yes," Yagi gave Izuku a grave look, "This is going to hurt, my boy."

"Wha?"

Aizawa slapped a chloroform soaked cloth over Izuku's mouth and nose, and moments later, everything went dark.

* * *

 

An indeterminant amount of time later, Izuku woke again, feeling like he'd been run over by a semi.

"Well, looks like you're awake," Aizawa said drolly, "Congratulations, you are now a full three inches taller than you were just last night. Oh and your eyes are now blue instead of green. Your old eyes will be donated to the next poor idiot who needs an eye transplant."

"..... WHAT?!!!"

* * *

 

The process of transforming into All Might required Izuku to bleach and dye his hair. All Might, it also turned out, had a  transferable quirk, and once his legs were healed, Izuku was set to work in physical training.

"Your previous training made you strong, my boy," Yagi said, frail hands resting in his lap, "but it's not nearly enough. You need to be stronger. If your body is not strong enough when you recieve my quirk, your body will explode."

* * *

 

A year later, Izuku had a head full of blonde hair, a strength quirk, someone else's blue eyes, and a job at Yuuei International Industries.

A fervor was ignited as Izuku went through the tests, careful to not mix his own DNA with the sample packages Yagi had given him.

 

"You're much thinner than the last time I saw you, All Might!" Midnight cried, circling him like a shark.

"Ahahahaha..." Izuku grinned, all tooth and glamour as was All Might's trademark, "I wasn't well for a good deal of the last year. What's wrong, Miss Midnight?" he put his hands on his hips and turned side to side as if putting his hips and waist on display, "Don't you like my girlish figure?"

Midnight laughed cheerily.

"Yo! All Might!" Present Mic sauntered over to him, "Have I ever told you about my son? He's a hero specializing in analytics!"

* * *

 

One day, Yuuei Vice President Endeavor was found murdered in his office.

Police officers and heroes were brought in to investigate.

They ran every bit of genetic material in the building through a test.

And they found an eyelash that didn't belong and the profile of a Quirkless individual who had been missing for the past five years.

 

"What the hell is a Quirkless doing in a place like Yuuei?" a rising star among the new generation of Heroes, Ground Zero snarled, as he glared at the old picture of his brother.

"Committing murder apparently," the investigator said dryly, "What else did you expect from those animals?"

The hero growled, furious. How  _dare_ the useless Deku reappear now? The instant the connection was made between them, he could kiss his ass in Heroics goodbye! Well. It didn't matter now at least. The Deku was not only a waste of space, but a murderer too. That meant if he was killed in the process of apprehension, no one would complain.

No one ever cared about the Quirkless after all.

* * *

Izuku arrived at the home he shared with Yagi that evening to find Aizawa there as well. Both men were discussing something in heated whispers.

"Izuku, my boy," Yagi sighed as he noticed the younger man's arrival, "You're in quite the pickle it seems."

"What?"

"He means you're wanted for murder," Aizawa snapped.

"Murder?!"

Yagi shook his head, "They found an eyelash at Yuuei. Your eyelash."

"Which he should have kept where it belongs," Aizawa snapped acidly, "In his  _eye_."

"Now, Aizawa," Yagi said in a placating tone, "We shed genetic material all the time. It can't be helped."

"If he's caught, Yagi, your true state will be revealed," Aizawa hissed, "The entire reason why you put up your identity for sale, isn't it?"

"I do have friends in the force who know the true state of my health and the part young Izuku plays in maintaining the illusion of my good health," Yagi said dryly, "Have some faith. It will be dealt with. Don't worry, both of you. Leave it to me."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Yagi," Aizawa growled, then turned on Izuku, "And you! You must have taken a shortcut somewhere for something so obvious to have been left behind! Wash and pluck more thoroughly! Yagi won't be able to cover your ass forever!"

Izuku waved his hands nervously and promised to be more careful. Aizawa stalked out.

Yagi shook his head. "I need to make a phone call," he said wearily, "Do get some rest, my boy. You'll need all the energy to get through the next few days."

* * *

 

Yagi's contacts in the force worked fast.

By the end of the week, the true culprit for Endeavor's murder, Kuin Hachisuka was arrested. She had spat on Endeavor when she'd killed him for deciding to scrap the I-Expo, and her genetic material in the form of cheek cells was found in the spittle that had landed in Endeavor's eye.

A day after the announcement of the arrest, Ground Zero was arrested for assault and was placed under psychological review-Everyone knew Yagi Toshinori was a good man, friendly and a bit nervous, but a good man who was not in the best of health due to a career ending injury. The thought that the former top Hero was the younger hero's Quirkless brother was laughable, especially after Izuku demonstrated a Texas Smash, reducing a cinder block wall to dust. Besides, by now, Midoriya Izuku would be thirty years old, and everyone knew that no Quirkless had ever lived past age twenty.

* * *

 

It turned out a new test was included in the security measures just before the I-Expo. Izuku, caught flat footed, had no choice. He peed into the receptacle, and thankfully, there was no loud alarm. But the analysis could not be faked.

 

Present Mic held Izuku's eyes for a long moment before long fingers, spotted with age, tapped several keys.

The Analysis results immediately changed.

 

"I never did tell you about my son, did I?" he said, "He's a Hero specializing in Analysis. I think you would have liked him."

Izuku stared at the other hero and blinked away his tears.

"Dad..."

"I'm proud of you kiddo," Present Mic smiled. "I told you didn't I? You can make anything of yourself that you want to be."

"Yeah."

"Go on," Present Mic said, "They're waiting on you Mr Big Shot Hero."

Izuku took a deep breath and strode through the door to the roar of All Might's fans.

* * *

 

In the sprawling estate that he'd lived in for decades, the house that his old teacher had left him, Yagi placed the last of the blood and urine samples and the baggies of dried skin cells and hairs into the freezer.

He laid a sealed letter on the work bench, Izuku's name scrawled across the front.

Groaning with the effort, he levered himself out of the wheel chair and with slow, shambling steps, stumbled to the incinerator where they disposed of the used supplies, the catheters and urine bags that Izuku used to avoid leaving his urine samples outside, the needles that they withdrew blood for testing... He climbed inside and pulled the door shut behind him.

He closed his eyes as the incinerator, regular as clockwork, roared to life.

* * *

 

On the other side of town, Aizawa Shouta drank to the memory of a good man, and commissioned a tombstone for one Izuku Midoriya. He'll swing by the house later to collect the remains. But for now, he'll celebrate the life of a good friend, and a great hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Not all men are created equal. That is a lesson I learned from a young age. To have a quirk is to have your feet set on a path to the future. You life is spread out in front of you, shining and beautiful, and no doors are ever closed to you. To lack a quirk is to fall to darkness. There is no future for you. But sometimes, to be quirkless is a blessing. I had always thought I was unwanted, unloved, because I had no quirk. But eventually I learned, I could have been the anomaly who lived well into his eighties without a quirk, and still my parents would have been proud of me. But that is not the story of my life is it?_
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _My name is Midoriya Izuku. This is the story of how I dreamed, and achieved that dream. I made many friends along the way, and I know I would never have made it this far without them._


	34. Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is something inside. It is old. And it is terrible.
> 
> Happy belated Halloween!

Kirishima froze as he heard the low groan. What was that? 

He turned toward the hall closet.

_Do not enter the dark places in the deep of night my dear, for there are fearful things in there..._

There was a thump.

And then another thump.

Kirishima edged forward.

_Do not give into your curiosity at night my dear, or you will be lost to your fear..._

The door knob rattled. 

Kirishima laid his hand on it.

_Do not open the door in the dark of night my dear, lest you be stolen from here..._

He opened the door.

Nothing. Just another closet filled with the usual things that are kept in closets. 

Kirishima laughed. He closed the door and turned away.

_Do not turn your back on the dark my dear, for your ruin draws near..._

"Oi! Shitty hair!" Bakugou pounded relentlessly on the door, "Get the fuck up! You're gonna be fucking late!"

The door gave way under a particularly vicious explosion packed blow. 

The blonde recoiled from the stench that billowed out, a vile mixture of bile, blood, urine, feces and rotting flesh.

"Shitty hair?"

The room was splattered in blood. And there was what was left of Kirishima, his organs spread all over his bed, his entire body carved up at the joints, his eyes laid out neatly on his desk.

_Beware the places where dark things hunt my dear, for there are places where the stench of blood will never clear..._

Alliance Heights Dormitory was flooded with blood and rotting flesh. 

Where it started no one knew.

But surely the teachers upstairs had been the first to go, for they would never have allowed their students to be so viciously murdered otherwise...


	35. The Little Deku Who Could

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku is a little shit.

**Flattery**

  
Underground Pro-Hero Aizawa Shouta also known as Eraserhead has seen a lot of shit in his time as a hero and teacher. He has seen weird shit, crazy shit, funny shit, cute shit, infuriating shit, and a flaming bag of shit pretending to be human. You would think he is no longer fazed by shit but this…

He should have known something was going to happen when he actually got eight hours of sleep.

Because the entire Class 1-A was dressed like him.

“What.”

“This was fucking Deku’s idea!” Bakugou roared.

Aizawa could see why the boy was angry, it looked like someone had upended black paint over his blond hair and taken a black marker to his eyes to give him the impression of eye bags.

“Midoriya.”

The Problem Child blinked at him from his desk. His cosplay was perfect down to the slouch. “Yes sensei?” Good god the brat somehow managed to get the exhausted tone down too.

“Explain.”

“Well, they do say that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery sensei.”

Aizawa could only close his eyes and breathe out slowly. That brat.

\------

**The One Where All Might Encourages the Shenanigans**

Toshinori Yagi, more commonly known as All Might, the Symbol of Peace and #1 Hero was a man of simple tastes when he wasn’t playing up the crowd and out being a hero. He was also known to have a soft spot for children, so it was no surprise that when a tiny bundle of green fluff and a smile to rival the sun pounced on his back in the middle of his talking to reporters, he simply laughed and grabbed the kid by the collar to keep him falling off and allowed him to sit on his shoulder for a while. After a few minutes, he made his excuses and began to move out of the sea of reporters, with the excuse of finding the parents of the kid still perched on his shoulder.

“We have to stop meeting like this, Midoriya Shounen. How do you keep finding me anyway?”

Izuku gave the hero a cheery look, “I’m you’re biggest fan remember? I can always find you. I just have to follow the sound of your voice yelling ‘SMASH!’ and I’ll find you. Anyway, I have a really hilarious prank I wanna play on a hero and I bet you’ll have loads of fun with it!”

“Oh?”

“It’s called “Make Endeavor eat the Floor!” Let’s see how many times we can make him trip!”

“I’m not the best hero for that job, Midoriya Shounen.”

“But you can get other heroes to help! Who’d say no to All Might?”

“…. Fine. Enji’s been ridiculous lately anyway.”

“Yay!”

\-------------

**Mix n Match**

Yamada Hizashi, best known as Present Mic, is used to shenanigans. He’s been a teacher long enough that he is fairly sure that there is nothing the kids can do that would surprise him. Until one day, he enters the classroom to find, comically, the entirely of Class 1-A wearing the opposite gender’s uniform. Not just wearing the opposite gender’s uniform, but based on how some were over-large or straining at the seams, but the kids had literally swapped uniforms. ALL of them. Including Mineta and Bakugou, both of whom were tied to their chairs, and in Bakugou’s case, with his mouth taped shut.  
Hizashi, miraculously manages to get through the class with a straight face, and leaves the room as quickly as he can. But not before he’s taken plenty of pictures.


	36. This is Our Finish Line! (The Unsettling Teacher Remix 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hizashi has stood by his friend from the beginning, through emotional breakdowns and psychotic breaks. A small thing like time travel won't stop him even when things come back full circle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expanded from [This is the Our Starting Line! (Or the One Where... Well... The teacher of Class 1-A is... Unsettling...)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427/chapters/32473221)  
> and [This is the Our Starting Line! (Unsettling Teacher Remix) Part 1](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427/chapters/32857467)

Yamada Hizashi has been friends with Aizawa Shōta for a little under ten years, and he’s seen his friend display a huge range of emotions during that time, from his normal apathy to the mindless berserker rage when his mental equilibrium slipped. Their friends had been on the receiving end of Shōta’s subtle mother henning and infuriated scoldings but only Hizashi has ever seen Shōta when he has one of his fits. Despite the other youth’s mental instability, Shōta has a mind like a bear trap, and Hizashi has seen or rather, been the subject of a long winded analysis that ultimately devolved into almost unintelligible muttering.

Hizashi knows that most of their friends and coworkers know Shōta is unstable. It’s impossible for anyone to spend any significant amount of time with him and not notice. But the mumbling. Shōta only goes off on mumbling tangents when he’s interested in something, and back when they were younger, Shōta had to actively restrain himself from getting caught up in whatever it was that had caught his interest, and nine times out of ten, someone had to actively stop him. These days, Shōta is better at controlling himself, and he doesn’t get caught up in tangents anymore, but there are days when he gets overexcited and it’s like they were teenagers again.

Like when All Might was revealed to have accepted a teaching position at Yuuei.  _ That _ set him off, and Hizashi lounges on the sofa in their shared apartment, watching in amusement as Shōta paced around the living room, mumbling to himself, sometimes bouncing like a hyper child and sometimes hissing like an infuriated cat. Hizashi doesn’t stop his old friend, it’s better for Shōta to get this out of his system. Holding it in would only lead to a meltdown later.

(( _ Hizashi doesn’t quite understand why Shōta is so excited when Nedzu announces to the Yuuei faculty that they will be joined by All Might this year. Shōta has disliked All Might for as long as Hizashi has known him. But then All Might reveals the circumstances of his employment at Yuuei, and holy shit; All Might is Yagi-san and that means Shōta’s legal guardian is All Might. Has been for as long as Hizashi has known him. No wonder Shōta seemed to swing between disapproval and hero worship when it came to the man. Hizashi kinda wants to have a breakdown because holy shit All Might has seen him as a stupid teenager; All Might was witness to some of his stupid teenaged shennanigans because he’d draged Shōta along with him for some of those times…. _ ))

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hizashi has a moment of déjà vu when he walks into Class 1-A for English Class and is slapped in the face by a mumblestorm. The blonde sweeps his eyes through the ranks of the students and green eyes meet green, and Hizashi is suddenly struck by how similar that face is. Lengthen the hair, strip away some of the baby fat, throw on some stubble and eyebags and cover up those freckles and Hizashi would swear he’s looking at Shōta from fifteen years ago.

“Heeeeeeeeeey!!!” Hizashi bawls without amplifying, and the boy twitches and cuts himself mid-word, eyes wide. Hizashi feels like his blood has turned to ice. The reaction is too similar to be a simple coincidence. “There you are, Listeners! Are you back with us?! Let’s get learning!”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hizashi is not the only person to find the resemblance to be uncanny. More than once, someone tries to ask Shōta if he’s got a child hidden away somewhere. But then All Might swoops in like a skeletal avenging angel and sweeps the question away, and Shōta blinks, confused and lost, like a small child, and All Might places a hand on top of his head, and Hizashi feels a chill go down his spine as Shōta looks up at the blonde with big, dark eyes. He’s seen a similar expression on his face years ago, and even more recently on a younger face.

It’s even more damning when one considers that All Might wears the same expression of warm affection when he looks at Shōta as when he looks at Midoriya, only the affection is tinged with sadness and guilt when he looks at Shōta. ( _ And so it should be, Hizashi sometimes thinks, because where the hell was All Might when Shōta really needed him? Sure he appeared if Shōta asked, but Shōta shouldn’t have needed to ask; All Might should have already been there. That’s really not how guardianship works. _ ) Hizashi can’t help but wonder at it because Midoriya clearly has no idea that he is one wrong move from Shōta putting his hands around his little neck and squeezing. On the other hand, All Might is obviously aware there is an issue there and goes out of his way to keep the two apart, and Shōta appears content to leave All Might to deal with the kid. Not that it helps, Hizashi spends most of the times when Shōta is teaching his homeroom class worried he’s going to hear about how his old friend suddenly murdered ( _ or attempted to murder-because these are hero-course students and all of them have the knee-jerk reaction of saving a person in peril; surely they wouldn’t stand by if one of their classmates were about to be murdered in front of them? _ ) a student with no provocation.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shōta, oh god, _ Shōta _ …. Hizashi is almost ready to burst from all the feelings bubbling in his gut when he and the other teachers arrive at the USJ and he lays eyes on his old friend. Shōta has fought hard for the lives of the kids, and it shows. It shows in his limp, bloodied form, in the way All Might cradles his body in his arms ( _ gently, so gently, the same way he had all those years ago when they were just boys and Toxic Chainsaw was just beginning his reign of terror and they’d had the bad luck of wandering onto one of his scenes, only for All Might to arrive and scoop them up, carrying them away to safety.) _ and the way he sits beside his bed after treatment, waiting for the man to wake.

 

If Hizashi ever doubted that All Might loved his ward ( _ which Hizashi didn’t doubt. Hizashi knew all too well that All Might tended to do the wrong things for all the right reasons, which doesn’t make his neglect of Shōta’s emotional needs any more forgivable.) _ this display would have displayed all doubts. But then there was the boy, the kid that All Might guarded with all the ferocity of a cornered parent. All Might, Recovery Girl, and Nedzu alike watched both Midoriya and Shōta  so closely, and that scrutiny only fanned the flames of Hizashi’s curiosity. 

 

_ There was something going on here and he wanted to  _ **_know._ **

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shōta might live with the unexplained, irrational hate of the kid, might fight day to day the visceral urge to rip the boy to pieces with his bare hands, but the boy is one of his students, and he is absolutely possessive of his kids-irrational hate or no. Hizashi sometimes wonders if this possessive streak isn’t because of whatever connects the two, this strange love-hate, where Shōta  is forever torn between being charmed by Midoriya to the point of wanting to tuck him away in a safe deposit box, and wanting to kill him for no other reason than the fact that a part of him instinctively rebels against the fact that the boy exists. Hizashi watches Shōta very carefully when he’s alone with Midoriya, and so to do the other teachers, because Shōta has a truly incredible sense of self-control and his interactions with the kid never shows that he’s a danger to the child, but there is always that chance. 

 

Regardless, Shōta is practically frothing at the mouth with rage when word arrives at the school that Shigaraki Tomura cornered Midoriya at the mall. Hizashi drags Shōta into Nedzu’s office, closing the soundproofed door just before the man starts snarling invectives, into which is scattered the occasional death threat. Hizashi would take it seriously, but Nedzu has crawled out of the nest he’s built under the table and is calmly making tea.

 

“Make it stop, sensei,” Shōta whispers, exhausted by the outburst, and Nedzu obligingly allows him to pull him into a hug. “Make the voices stop.”

 

“It will be over soon, Aizawa-kun,” Nedzu said reassuringly, patting him on the head, “just hang in there.”

 

Hizashi is struck by the confidence with which Nedzu had made the declaration. How can he be so sure? What do the heroes of their teachers’ generation know about Shōta’s condition that Shōta himself does not?

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The Final Exams are a test for the children. For a while, Hizashi fears that Nedzu will pit Midoriya against Shōta purely so see how he reacts. Then midway through, Hizashi would swear that for a brief moment, Shōta turned  _ transparent _ . Shōta  doesn’t appear to have noticed it, having been too busy tracking down Yaoyorozu and Todoroki, but Hizashi knows that Nedzu did, because his rodent-like features darkened with fury for a split second.

 

Hizashi has no idea what happened after. He was busy with the exams, with the grading. Rumor was though, that All Might had jeopardized the life of one of the students, and somehow in doing so, put Shōta at risk as well. 

 

But there was really no time to ponder that rumor, odd and out there as it was. Because the summer camp got attacked and a student kidnapped and more students injured. While All Might led a team of heroes to Kamino Ward to retrieve the missing student, Shōta  and other teachers were put in front of a camera so that the press could needle them about the missing student and the clusterfuck that had been USJ. 

 

Hizashi knows the signs of Shōta’s mental equilibrium tilting away from stability. But through that entire mess, he is stable. Frustrated and angry, but stable. A first for the year, Hizashi thinks. This entire past year has had Shōta teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown. He hopes it will last.

 

It lasts. Through All Might’s retirement, through the raid of the Eight Precepts, through the process of gaining Eri’s guardianship; Shōta is stable. Oh, there are a few slips, when Shōta has overworked himself, when the teachers were doing home visits regarding the new dormitory systems, when Hizashi tried to take him to a gala and he was overwhelmed by the light and the noise and the people. But Shōta is stable and happy and Hizashi...

 

Hizashi hopes this means good things for the future.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It doesn’t last.

 

It never does.

 

Render is a dangerous opponent. She seems to have a grudge against Legacies--Children born to Hero families who are themselves going into hero work--and targets them accordingly. Hizashi can understand why there is concern in Midoriya’s direction--He’s  not All Might’s son by blood, but he is as good as--And the kid is slated to be All Might’s Successor as the next Symbol of Peace. But Hizashi isn’t sure that he wants to know  _ why _ All Might and Nedzu and to a lesser degree, Shōta himself, seems to think the Midoriya kid needs the most protecting out of all the Legacy students. Surely he’s got anonymity on his side and is therefore mostly safe?

 

No, no he isn’t. Because  _ of course _ Render is part of the group that is convinced Midoriya is All Might’s son. And  _ of course _ her grudge against Legacies would mean that she hates All Might’s child, the boy she thought got a free ride because of his connection to the Number One Hero most of all.

So of course she comes to Yuuei. And of course, she makes a beeline straight to the class with the greatest number of recommendation students, the class with the largest population of Legacies. She goes straight for Class 1-A. Straight for Shōta, who intercepts her with all the ferocity of a cornered mother bear. Shōta who fights like his life depended on it, all paternal fury and determination to keep the villain away from his students. There is something desperate there, Hizashi thinks as he shoves a child behind him, even as a blade slices into his stomach. Hizashi goes down hard, clamping his hands over the wound even as his innards slip around, trying to escape his body. Shōta screams, enraged, and Hizashi can almost physically see the moment his friend’s mental equilibrium shattered.

 

From then on, Shōta is all instinct and wild quirks. There, a gleam of lightning scorches the earth, here a gash down the length of his arm heals without a trace, a kick creates a crater in a wall, a wild swing carves a long gouge out of the ground. Shōta’s children group together, huddling close, eyes wide with terror, and only Midoriya shows an emotion that is not terror. If anything, he is fascinated by his teacher’s display of multiple quirks.

 

Hizashi knows when the teen notices the toll that the fight is taking on Shōta’s body. 

 

“Iida,” Hizashi levers himself up painfully, “Go back to the school. Tell Principal Nedzu that Render is on campus. Tell them to send reinforcements.”

 

“Sensei!” Iida cried, “I cannot just leave my classmates!”

 

“You did it once at USJ,” Hizashi snapped bitingly, “Didn’t that teach you something? A hero needs to know when to ask for help and now is not the time for misplaced self-sacrifice! Go get help!”

Tenya’s expression is one of hurt but he does as he’s told and leaves in the direction of the school. Hizashi has no doubt he’ll get a tongue lashing from Tensei later, but the kid needs to learn that there is a time to be stubborn, and when the lives of non-combatants are at stake is not one of those times.

 

“Midoriya,” Hizashi gasped.

 

The boy dropped to one knee beside him, his hands outstretched, torn between helping Hizashi sit up and doing nothing. “Use that brain of yours. Throw something at Render. Keep her distracted so Eraserhead has some breathing room.”

 

Hizashi regrets the instruction when Render slams Shōta’s face into the ground and black mist rises from her skin and a gesture sends it shooting toward him. Shōta’s body twists in a way that makes Hizashi’s spine twinge in sympathetic pain and his kick sends Render sprawling away from him. Shōta lunges forward, hand outstretched, but the quirk mist is faster. 

 

“Deku!”

 

Midoriya is swallowed up seconds before Shōta reaches him and it dissipates, leaving nothing behind. Shōta, at the end of his rope, hits the ground hard.

 

Render begins shrieking with triumphant laughter.

 

“Aizawa-sensei!” the students surge forward. 

 

Render, startled, leaps back as Todoroki and Bakugou sent explosions and fire and ice racing at her. Ashido spits her acid at the villainess, forcing her further back.

 

“Sensei!” Yaoyaorozu and Hagakure are knelt next to Shōta, hands fluttering over his body, looking for injuries, “Are you alright?”

 

Shōta groans as he levers himself up. “Don’t worry,” he says, voice gruff but steady, “It will be alright.”

 

Hizashi watches in awe as Shōta’s healing quirk, normally hit or miss, knits together his injuries, wiping away bruises with a speed he’s never seen before, and Shōta stands on his own two feet without his normal slouch, back straighter than it has been in years.

 

“Will it?” Render shrieked wildly, “How can you make that claim when you can’t even protect your own student, Eraserhead?”

 

Shōta does something uncharacteristic, he smiles. It’s grim and steady, but it’s a smile, and there is something genuine about that smile, not like his usual crooked smiles, laced with a faint hint of something inherently  _ wrong _ like he’s wearing a brittle, plastic mask that could shatter at any moment. Hizashi realizes with a jolt where he’s seen that smile before.

 

It’s the same smile All Might wore in Kamino just before his final blow.

 

“You’re wrong,” Shōta says calmly, “Midoriya is safe. He will be found on Dagobah Beach by All Might and Nedzu. He’ll be in rough shape, his mind and body broken, but they will care for him and provide treatment for all the years he will need.”

 

How… How did he know that? There was no guarantee… Hizashi suddenly recalled a marking on Shōta’s Hero License.  _ No. There was no way… _

 

“Have you gone insane?” Render asked, sounding more sane than she had the entire day.

 

“Yes,” Shōta said candidly, entirely without shame, “But I am better now.”

 

He grabs his capture weapon and activates Erasure and as he lunges forward, his body sheds green sparks, leaving a scent of ozone behind him. His capture weapon shoots forward, and Shōta moves faster than his last top recorded speed, and Render shrieks as his fist connects with her face, throwing her back into the grasping tendrils of capture weapon.

 

Once Render is immobilized to his satisfaction, Shōta snaps one of his special quirk suppressing collars (created because his capture weapon sometimes made it impossible to put cuffs on a villain’s wrists) around her neck. He legs it back toward them and drops to his knees beside Hizashi, staring at his split open belly in horror before pressing his hands to his stomach.

 

“Hizashi,” Shōta whispers, his voice small and lost, and Hizashi cannot, will not leave him alone.

 

Hizashi chances taking one of his hands off the wound to touch Shōta’s face, rubbing his thumb over his cheekbones reassuringly. “I’m alright,” Hizashi rasped, swallowing the urge to feel ill as his thumb smears his blood over Shōta’s skin. It doesn’t quite matter who Shōta used to be before his mind and quirk broke, right now, over a decade of friendship takes precedence, and Shōta needs him to be steady, and anchor in raging waters. 

 

All Might, in his true form, arrives on the heels of the police and paramedics not long after. Hizashi can only catch bits and snippets of the conversation between Shōta and the former Symbol of Peace, but what he hears only confirms his suspicions.

 

"Aizawa-kun?"

 

"All Might," Shōta bowed. "Thank you. For everything you've done for me all these years. I remember now," he said, "How I arrived at the beach you and Nedzu found me on. I couldn't remember before. Because-"

 

"Two of the same thing cannot exist at the same time," All Might finished the sentence. "I am glad to see you well again, my boy."

 

"Call me Shōta ," Hizashi can see a hint of the boy Shōta used to be when he smiled at All Might, "That's who I am now."

 

"Of course, Shōta."

 

The Paramedics closed the door of the ambulance, shutting out the conversation. Hizashi closed his eyes as he considered the revelations of the day.

 

When Hizashi opens his eyes again, it is to the sterile white ceiling of a hospital room. A soft huff from the side draws his attention and he turns his head and spots Sho-Mido-Just what was he supposed to call him now anyway?-in a chair beside the bed, the same as every other time Hizashi has ever landed in the hospital. 

 

“Shōta,” Hizashi rasps.

 

Shōta’s eyes blink open. “Hizashi!” He was on his feet immediately, “How do you feel?” The tone was the same, the same worry, the same fear. Shōta still met his eyes head on, blunt and single minded as ever.

 

“Like I just got a knife to the gut,” Hizashi’s hand twitched toward Shōta, a slight, abortive movement. But Shōta got the idea. He took Hizashi’s hand, and Hizashi weakly squeezed it. “Nothing has to change,” Hizashi rasped. “You’re still you, even if you used to be Midoriya.”

 

“Doesn’t it?” Shōta’s voice was soft, almost fearful, like the boy he used to be before his mind was shattered.

 

“I’ve known you for almost fifteen years, Shōta,” Hizashi insisted, “It doesn’t matter to me if you used to be one of our kids. I mean, yeah, it kinda matters because whatever that trip did, it kinda broke your mind, but you…” his voice cracked, “You’re  _ you _ . You’re  _ Shōta _ , even if you never really remembered that you were Midoriya until recently, these past ten years, you’ve been… You made yourself anew. You’re still the same Aizawa Shōta that I became friends with.”

 

Slowly, Shōta lifted Hizashi’s hand and pressed his lips to the knuckles as tears slid down his face.

 

“Hey, hey what are you doing?!” Hizashi shuffled, pushing himself up and hissing as the new skin and muscles in his stomach were pulled by the action, “Don’t cry!”

 

“You idiot,” Shōta said, “I’m a crier, ok?”

 

“Hi, Crier, I’m Hizashi.”

 

“You goddamned idiot.”

 

"I'm sorry, I had to!"

 

\---

 

Finite


	37. Phoenix Quirk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked:
> 
> Phoenix Quirk where Izuku is actually a phoenix?

_“They say that when a member of that particular family is in grave need, a phoenix will appear to guide them.”_

Izuku scoffed as on-screen, the hideous CGI chick bloomed into fire and took on the form of the most hideous CGI animal he’s ever seen in his life. Beside him, All Might in his true form, gently nudged him with an elbow and frowned disapprovingly once sure he had his protege’s attention. Izuku smiled sheepishly and waved his hands in contrition.

Once out of the theater, All Might huffed. “Really, my boy, I know that was not a proper representation of a phoenix, but letting other people keep their fantasy will do you no harm.”

Izuku did a leap and a pirouette and fire bloomed from his shoulders and feet and a swan sized bird with green feathers edged in gold landed on All Might’s shoulder. He huffed and used a sharp golden beak to preen the feathers under his wing, shuffling a little as the fire limned his feathers and snuffed out, leaving a gentle golden gleam.

“You ridiculous boy,” All Might chuckled and brushed a large finger along the lines of a long neck.

Izuku cooed and closed his eyes, allowing his mentor the affection.

“Are you going to stay like that for the rest of the day, Young Midoriya?”

Izuku cooed and ruffled his feathers.

“You spoiled boy,” All Might laughed and he strode down the street, ignoring the number of eyes drawn toward his skeletal appearance and the swan like bird on his shoulder. Izuku periodically cocked his head, twisting his neck this way and that to stare at things with a beady, emerald green eye.

* * *

Aizawa looked up from his ramen when the door of the faulty dormitory’s common area opened and Yagi strode in with their most troublesome student on his shoulder.

Aizawa raised an eyebrow. “I thought you took the Problem Child to a movie for his birthday?”

“I did,” Yagi shrugged as Midoriya spread his ridiculous wingspan and launched himself across the room to perch on the back of an empty chair and preened his wings.

“You spoil the bird.”

“He’s a boy.”

“Who spends more time in his bird form than as a human.”

“This coming from the man who spends more time as a bright yellow caterpillar than as a man,” Yagi teased.

Izuku made a squawking, chirruping noise his teachers had since learned to recognize as laughter.

“The pair of you,” Aizawa shook his head.


	38. A Whole New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Quirked Society is very, very different: 
> 
> Your quirks determine your future, and your lack of one only makes you lucky enough to be allowed to choose your own future.

The first quirk appeared when the Illuminated Baby was born in China, and that was when everything changed.

At first, it looked like quirks were going to change the way the laws were upheld, the way the very structure of society was arranged, but strangely, it didn't change all that much. One of the major players in the rearranging of the structure of society was Italy and Japan, for three simple reasons: The societal structure of the Italian Mafia already built around a power known as Dying Will Flames; Japan's Magical Girl and Magical Boy Protection Laws; and the Internationally ratified Sokovia Accords. With the appearance of quirks, came also the coming out of various hidden societies all around the world, hidden cultures that existed alongside modern culture as far back as neolithic history, all possessing different mysterious powers.

One would think that this would catapult those with powers to the top of the food chain, but curiously, it didn't. Somehow, no one is quite sure about the particulars, those without any powers, mythical, supernatural, or otherwise, found themselves on the very top of the food chain.

\---

Yamada Hizashi was taken away from his parents almost as soon as he was born. Every weekend, his parents were allowed to visit, but the child was not allowed to speak to them, and the Yamadas wept to see their son muzzled like a rabid dog. When he was six, however, he'd gained some control and he was allowed to go home, to his parents' pleasure. His schooling was designed around radio and show business. Later, he would ask his Counselors if he could go into teaching, and his curriculum would be adjusted accordingly. He was one of the lucky ones.

Nemuri Kayama was pushed into medicine and anesthesia. She rebelled through her sexuality when she hit her teens, which was a costly mistake, since when she finally got her head screwed on straight and asked if she could go into teaching, she was immediately slapped with an international restraining order preventing her from coming within 200 feet of any school.

Aizawa Shouta went into Criminal Apprehension and Restraint. He was considered one of the lucky ones for the sole reason that his quirk actually allowed him to do what he wanted. The government was very very happy when he applied for teaching courses. Quirk Erasure would serve him well in a classroom of over active children with no concept of self control.

Bakugou Katsuki was four when his quirk came in. At first, everyone thought he'd go into law enforcement or even construction and demolitions. But then as his volatile personality reared its head and he turned his quirk on his classmates, it was decided: the boy would be a soldier. He was forcibly enrolled in the Japanese Military Academy as soon as he turned six. When he returned to Japan at the age of 35, he was deaf, suffered joint pain in his fingers, wrists, elbows, and shoulders, and had a nasty case of PTSD that made him violent and irrational. He was _not_ allowed to reintegrate into civilian life.

Depending on who one asked, Iida Tenya was very unlucky. He was sent to the racing circuits.

Uraraka Ochako was happy enough; her anti-gravity quirk meant she, unlike some of her other classmates, was allowed to stay close to home. The government approved of her decision to use her quirk in her parent's construction company. She had until she was thirteen to decide if she wanted to go into a different line of work; the government very much wanted her in Emergency Rescue Services, and they were willing to pay handsomely if she changed her mind.

Kaminari Denki was taken away from his parents almost as soon as his quirk manifested. He was, at the tender age of four shoved into a training regime for Criminal Restraint and Electrical Engineering.

Neito Monoma was allowed to stay with his parents, but his schooling was specially tailored around medicine. His copy quirk was, to the medical industry, a godsend.

Toshinori Yagi started out in Criminal Investigations before he became a teacher. His teacher, Shigaraki Nana, had been in Criminal Apprehension and Restraint, and she had supported him in his decision to go into the same field despite being quirkless. The police force was equally appalled and excited because Yagi was a damned smart man, damned charismatic, and very much quirkless. But of course, quirkless or not, Yagi excelled in his job. In his time as a member of Law Enforcement, he revived old investigative methods and streamlined and modernized them. His decision to go into teaching in his later years was celebrated by criminals and the education system alike for very different reasons.

Midoriya Izuku, also quirkless, was from a young age, lauded for his intelligence. At the age of 15, he was taken under the wing of his hero, Toshinori Yagi, and by the time he graduated from High School, he was one of the best quirk analysts alive. By the age of 30, he was internationally recognized by law enforcement for his contributions to the field. Needless to say, he was a hero.

Did we forget to mention? There is not quirks in the top tier of politics. Mental quirks like Nedzu's High Specs, yes, but other quirks: No.


	39. A Whole New World (Inverted)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To be Quirked is to be normal, to be Quirkless is a fate worse than death.

To be Quirked is normal. To be Quirkless is a fate worse than death.

"Have you ever seen a quirkless person?"

"I wonder if they look like us? I mean, they are like, practically ancient!"

"The Quirkless are our closest cousins. Before Quirks, there were only Quirkless."

"I once knew a quirkless kid. Heh. What a useless person."

The classroom went silent and the teacher's chalk snapped in his hand. "You shouldn't say that, Bakugou-kun," he said, "That quirkless boy is now doing good work, his life and body donated to the science of medicine as a control sample for us Quirked. Without the Quirkless, medicine would never have advanced since society wouldn't have a control population. If anything, that boy is more a hero than you are."

"Yeah!" a girl stood up angrily, "Quirks can interfere with blood and organ donation, so we need those Quirkless! Without them, my brother would be dead when that car hit him and ruptured his kidneys! A Quirkless kidney saved his life! Be grateful for the Quirkless!"

"I can't believe Bakugou wants to be a hero," another kid scoffed, "He doesn't even see the value of the Quirkless."


	40. Confessions of a Dorm....Mother?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Alternatively Known as: "That Time Toshinori became Mom Might.")

Toshinori may not be able to be All Might anymore, but that doesn't mean he's useless. He's quirkless again, but he's not fragile. Really, what, did they think he made to to Number One on his quirk alone? 

It's six AM, and Toshinori is busy preparing all the materials for an American Style Breakfast. All the while, he keeps a sharp eye on Young Midoriya who is running his laps on the track below. Toshinori hums a cheerful tune as he squeezes the orange juice. It's easier to buy some from the shops, but that stuff is packed with sugar, preservatives, and the concentrated juice makes it hard to figure out how much is a serving. The kids need the nutrients and the vitamin C, and Toshinori knows from experience that too much Orange Juice from Concentrate will leave the kids thirsty with an achy, scratchy throat. Considering that Aizawa-kun intends to put them through their paces in another rescue simulation today, the kids can't afford that. They'll need the carbs too, which is why Toshinori is in the kitchen instead of running alongside his student like usual.

An hour later, Izuku enters the kitchen, sweaty and breathing only slightly labored, and Toshinori sends him upstairs to shower with a glass of juice. Fifteen minutes later, the dining room and kitchen are filled with twenty students and two teachers in various stages of wakefulness. Aizawa and Toshinori have to stop Kaminari from drowning in his cereal a few times, but forty-five minutes later, Aizawa and Toshinori chivvy the teenagers out the door, and for the first time since the dormitory system was implemented, Class 1-A leaves the dormitory as a class.

From the kitchen, they can hear the students exclaiming over the bentos that All Might had prepared for them.

“I notice the Problem Child’s tie is done up properly this time,” Aizawa said absently, “Did you finally teach him how to tie a tie?”

Toshinori laughed sheepishly, “No, I tied and looped it for him and left it on his desk for him.”

Aizawa gave him a dry look, “Watch yourself, the kids will start calling you MomMight instead of DadMight at this rate.”

Toshinori laughed goodnaturedly. “That wouldn’t be too bad at all!”

“Sap.”

“Cynic.”

\---

Class 1-B woke up the morning of a Villain Apprehension Training Exercise to the tantalizing smells of an American style breakfast. They all piled downstairs in various stages of wakefulness to find Kan-Sensei and Ectoplasm-Sensei nursing a mug of coffee at the table while Yagi-Sensei loads the kitchen island with platters full of fluffy pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. There is a large tureen of hot cereal with fruits and brown sugar for those who want it sweet and salt and cream for those who like it savory. 

“This is glorious!” Neito crowed as he shoveled in mouthfuls of the delicious spread, “Not even the cursed Class 1-A can claim the brilliance of having had breakfast made by All Might!”

“What are you talking about?” Kan-sensei grumbled, “All Might made them breakfast last week.”

Neito froze. “What?!”

“It wouldn’t be fair if I made breakfast only for Class 1-A,” All Might said dryly, “As Aizawa-kun and Nedzu-Sensei keep telling me, that would be favoritism.”

Neito was ready to shout a spiel about how unfair it was that All Might was making them breakfast simply for appearances sake when the retired hero stuffed a warm Hashbrown into his mouth.

“You’re all so energetic this morning! Stop overthinking and eat,” All Might laughed, “There’s plenty to go around! Eat more, children! You’ll need the energy today!”

Forty-Five minutes later, the three teachers chivvied the twenty children out the door while a handful ran back to their dorms to grab materials left behind.

“Off you go, off you go!” All Might handed out little Bentos as the 1-B students filed past him, “Have a good day! Don’t forget your lunch! You need the energy!”

“I didn’t quite believe Aizawa when he said it,” Kan grumbled as All Might chivvied both him and Ectoplasm out the door after pushing bentos into their hands, “But that man is a mother hen.”

Ectoplasm laughed, “He has always been like this, even back at his height as a hero.”

“Of course you’d know this,” Kan grumbled, “You were one of his interns for a while, weren’t you?”

“Of course,” Ectoplasm agreed, “If he weren’t so married to his work, I think he’d be a parent a dozen times over.”

\---

Kendou and Pony had made their way up to 1-A’s side of the dorm when they encountered All Might carrying a paper bag in one hand.

“Good afternoon, All Might- Sensei!” the girls bowed.

“Good afternoon, girls!” All Might boomed cheerfully, “Here to study, I assume?”

“Nope!” Pony said, “That’s tomorrow night! We’re going to paint Ashido’s and my horns!”

“Paint each other’s horns?” All Might asked, “Like with nails?”

“Yep!” Kendou grinned, “Ashido was talking about whether or not we could use nail polish for it, and Pony and I thought, “Nails and the horns are both made of Keratin! So why not?!” So we’re going to paint Ashido and Pony’s horns!”

“Have fun!” All Might chuckled, “And be careful not to get any of it in your eyes.”

“Yessir!”

To their bewilderment, All Might, instead of punching buttons on the elevator that would take him to the faculty’s floor, punched a button to the third floor instead. Once the door dinged open, Ashido bounced happily, grabbing their wrists.

“Hey guys!” She paused and blinked, “Hi All Might-sensei!”

“Young Ashido!” All Might smiled, “Hello!”

A door opened, revealing an empty set of clothes. “All Might-sensei!” Hagakure shuffled nervously, “Is that it?”

“Yes,” All Might’s voice gentled as he handed over the bag, “Is this all you need?”

Hagakure opened the bag, presumably peering in and checking it’s contents. “Yes! Thank you, All Might! I know I could have asked any of the other girls, and even Yaoyorozu, but it would have been a little awkward, considering…”

“It’s quite all right!” All Might put his hand out, ruffling invisible hair, “That’s what your Dorm Supervisors are for!”

“Thank you for this, All Might!”

“Anything for a young lady!”

The door to the stairwell slammed open and Kaminari and Kirishima stumbled in, giggling like loons.

“Boys!” All Might boomed.

“Hi All Might!”

“What have you done this time?!”

There was the sound of an explosion overhead and an enraged scream.

“Nothing!” the two troublemakers chorused.

“Now why do I doubt that?” All Might said sternly.

“Because it’s true?” Kaminari asked.

“I’m going to murder you both, Shitty Hair!! Pikachu!!! You wait till I get my hands on you fuckers!!!”

“Girls,” All Might said, “Why don’t you all go inside. I’ll deal with the boys.”

Kaminari and Kirishima cowered under the retired hero’s disapproval.

\---

It became something of a tradition. The Hero Course students of all years began to be able to predict what kind of training simulations they would be put through based on what All Might made for breakfast. Light foods? Teamwork exercises. Carb heavy food? Battle simulations. Protein heavy meals? Rescue simulations.

Then came the day:

“Happy Mother’s Day!”

Toshinori spluttered in shock, thankfully no blood made an appearance. All around the faculty common room were all three years of Hero Course Students.

“Mother’s Day?!”

“I told you your tendency to mother hen people would come back to bite you,” Ectoplasm chuckled from the side.

“But I’m not a mother!”

“You cook for them,” Aizawa said dryly.

“You remind them to do laundry,” Kan grumbled.

“You did my ties for me!” Midoriya chirped.

“You run down to the store for feminine products when the girls run out,” Nemuri agreed.

“You bring them lunch when they forget!” Mic bawled.

“You sit with them when they get sick,” Thirteen agreed.

“You stay up and fret all night when they leave for the weekend,” Snipe said dryly.

“You send them to bed without supper even,” Aizawa said. “How is that not being a mother?”

“I…” Toshinori blinked, trying to find a response.

“Face it, All Might-sensei,” Mirio laughed, “You’re the Hero Course’s Dorm Mother!”

“But-”

“Happy Mother’s Day, All Might Sensei!!!” The students all bellowed, cutting off any further protests.


	41. The One Where Toshi Has A Mini Heart Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three cosplayers give Toshi a Heart Attack

 

"All for One and One for All!" A random person shouts.

 

Toshinori spat up blood in shock and looked around frantically, "What?" Did someone figure it out? No, there was a trio of grown ass adults dressed like freaking jack sparrow with huge floppy brim hats covered in feathers and rapiers. Toshinori sighed in exhaustion. That's right, that was the motto for a protagonist from some classical literature book wasn't it?


	42. FireBirds (Phoenix Quirk) PT 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izumi's newfound quirk changes everything and nothing. Shouta's fears regarding Inko are realized.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two of [Firebird](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427/chapters/34073258)
> 
> In a world of superpowers, modern medicine does not advance quickly enough to keep up with the increase in injuries that come with developing and learning control of extra-human abilities. In a dangerous profession like Heroism and Villainy, even a weak healing quirk can mean the difference between life and death. So a secret war rages behind the scenes as Heroes and Villains alike compete for a most precious of resources: A force multiplier that can tip the scales of life and death.

Chapter 2

Inko stared in shock at the aged heroine.

“You…. You’re Recovery Girl….”

“And you’re Midoriya Inko, mother to the girl who hit the quirk jackpot.”

“Quirk jackpot?”

“Yes, the quirk jackpot. If combat capable quirks emerge once in an urban environment of 100,000,000 then healing quirks are even rarer since they only appear once in a population of 900,000,000. Sometimes, not even that.” Recovery Girl’s expression was rueful, “Many fields stagnated when quirks appeared, and unfortunately, medicine was one of them. As quirk related accidents increased, medicine began to advance again, but was unable to keep up, especially when the profession of professional heroics appeared. As a result, the availability of even a weak healing quirk came to represent the difference between a hero being forcibly retired due to death or crippling injury or surviving to continue their work. A healing quirk has, over the years, become a force multiplier of worth equivalent to all the heroes in this hospital.”

“I-I don't understand what that has to do with Izumi…”

Recovery Girl's expression was sympathetic. “I think you do. Healing quirks are literally one in a billion and there are roughly 135 known healers around the world at this moment, both heroes and villains. If a healing quirk is so precious to heroes who have access to the best medical care hospitals can provide, what about the villains? You've already had a taste of how desperate they are to claim a healer for themselves on the way here, I think.”

“T-t-they want… They want I-I-Izumi?!”

“And until her position is secured, they’ll never stop coming for her,” Recovery Girl’s words were grim. “As her mother, you would be taken as leverage against her, so you are in danger also.”

“M-m-me too?!”

“Yes, and at her age, Midoriya-chan may well cave to whatever villains want to keep her mother safe. Little girls are like that, we’ve found.”

Inko wanted to cry. She was so happy Izumi had a quirk now, but…This was too much! She would rather her daughter had stayed quirkless than to have a quirk that would put her in constant danger.

\--

Recovery Girl eventually leaves after checking on Izumi, and Shouta enters the room with a thermos and two paper cups.

“Hizashi sent one of his interns out on a tea run,” he said dryly, offering Inko a cup.

She accepted the cup of tea shakily. “It’s not true is it?” she whispered, “Shouta, tell me it’s not true.”

Shouta studied her, and said calmly, “Tell you what, Inko?”

“Izumi… Tell me that Izumi’s quirk alone doesn’t put her in danger! It can’t be true!”

“Inko. Look around you,” Shouta replied wearily, “Would an underaged civilian be in Hero Ward of all places for just any reason? Not even the Todorokis are allowed use of the Hero Ward, and Endeavor is the Number Two Hero.”

Inko burst into tears. “It would have been better if she died!” she wailed. “At least she’d be safe!”

Shouta nearly dropped the thermos in alarm. “Inko, no!”

“Yes!” Inko sobbed, “At least she’d be safe! If she had just stayed quirkless, Katsuki could marry her and keep her comfortably before. But no one will marry her now, not when they’ll be in danger just being near her!”

“That’s not how things work, Inko!”

“Her future is ruined because of this quirk, Shouta!”

Shouta dropped the thermos and grabbed his sister by the shoulders and shook her. “Listen to yourself!” he hissed. “You sound exactly like our bitch of a mother. Izumi’s future is not ruined. It’s brighter. Izumi hit the quirk jackpot. There is nowhere she will go where she will not receive a warm welcome. Her quirk alone means that there will be no shortage of jobs for her. If she chooses to freelance, she can set her prices as high or low as she likes, and no one who wants her help will question it. Strong Heroes will flock to her door and defend her to their last breath because they need her and they know it. Yes, she will never be able to leave the house without at least two heroes trailing her, but she is not trapped. She has options now, options beyond marriage. Now, she can be self-sufficient.”

“But she’ll be in danger.”

“It can’t be helped,” Shouta said softly, “because this is just how the world is. I promise you, Ane, I’ll keep an eye on her. Both eyes if I can afford them.”

Inko crumbled and she buried her face in her brother’s shoulder, and sobbed her heart out.

Shouta patted her back awkwardly.

\--

Izumi woke muzzily to the sound of her mother’s voice.

“Mm-ma?”

"Izumi!" Inko cried. "Are you feeling ok? does anything hurt?"

"Mama..."

"I guess I better get Recovery Girl," Shouta said and ambled out of the room.

Izumi watched him go with wide eyes. "Mama. Mama. That's Eraserhead, mama!"

Inko smiled weakly at her only child. “Yes,” she said, “Eraserhead is mama’s little brother. I’ll introduce you later.”

“Really, mama?”

“Really.” Inko started tearing up and she leaned down to hug her daughter. “I’m so glad you’re alright!”

“Mama, what happened?”

“You fell down the stairs,” Inko sniffled, “And it turns out you have a quirk.”

“I...I have a quirk?”

Inko’s smile was wet and shaky. “You have an incredible quirk, Izumi. The most precious and valuable quirk in the world.”

“Mama?”

\--

Izumi’s confusion was quickly swept away in favor of fangirlish glee as soon as Eraserhead returned with Recovery Girl in tow. Both heroes bore her excited gushing with good grace, even though her mother seemed to be torn between hushing her and… 

Izumi’s hobbies had taught her how to read a person’s micro-expressions and their body language and there was something in her mother’s body language that worried Izumi somewhat, mostly due to the fact that she’s never seen that expression on her mother before. Worry, tinged with something...darker. But Recovery Girl and Eraserhead are asking her questions, and Izumi puts aside her mother’s strange expression in favor of interacting with heroes she had never thought she would ever have had the opportunity to meet.

 --

Inko wants to think that she’s a good mother. She clutches desperately at the belief that she raised a good girl, a sweet, loving child, despite the hardships of being both a single mother rearing a quirkless child. Inko wants to believe she can bear the burden of rearing her child alone. She can do this, she’s managed for the better part of four years.

That night she goes home, alone, leaving Izumi in the hospital for observation, when Hizashi breaks character as Present Mic just long enough to hug her and promise her that both she and Izumi will be safe.

“Just stay in the apartment, Inko,” Hizashi says urgently, “Text Shouta and I if you need anything and we’ll pick it up for you. But stay in the apartment. We’ll have heroes stationed nearby for your protection.” Inko nods absently, and Hizashi’s worried face shifts back to Present Mic’s easy going and jovial mask and he leaves her behind. 

Alone in the dark, with both herself and her daughter a target because of Izumi’s newly manifested quirk, Inko feels an old bitterness welling up inside her. It wasn’t fair! Why was it always her? First Hisashi leaves her up the duff, then her family disowns her, then her child is quirkless, and then her half-brother-the only member of her family to stay in touch-goes off to be a hero and scares her half to death every time she is called to the hospital as his emergency contact every few months, and now she’s in danger because Izumi has a healing quirk. What did she ever do to deserve this?

“Nothing,” Inko whispered into the dark, “I did nothing. It’s not my fault. I didn’t do anything wrong. This is not a punishment. Izumi needs me. I have to think of Izumi.”

\-- 

Shouta is worried. He knows that they, he and his sister, both take after their mother far more than they’d like, and recent events had led to emotional upheaval all around. The status quo in Inko’s life had suddenly changed, and now both Inko and Izumi were targets. Shouta heartily prays that things will not reach the stage where he’d need to move in with his sister and her daughter. Hizashi might understand the necessity of it, but it wouldn’t stop the blonde from being petty in retaliation for the inconvenience.

 --

Bakugou Katsuki knew that the world was not kind. He knew that no one was ever born equal. The proof was in how differently he was treated compared to his oldest friend. From the moment his quirk manifested and Izumi’s quirk failed to manifest, they as good as moved in seperate circles. Even so, he held to the promise he’d made to Uncle Hisashi, and did his best to protect Izumi. More than ever, she needed it, quirkless as she was.

But the year they turned eight, everything changed. Kojima Hideo shoved Izumi down the stairs for defending him when Katsuki confronted him about bullying her. The next day, the Principal was holding an assembly to talk about hidden quirks and how bullying would not be tolerated. From then on, everything changed.

Katsuki’s entire family was forbidden from seeing Auntie Inko or Izumi at the hospital. They were only able to see Auntie Inko when she was at home in the apartment, and when Izumi was released from the hospital. But even then…

Katsuki had always known he had a strong quirk, his teachers never ceased to praise him and his quirk. He was a shoo-in for the Hero Courses, everyone said so.

But a strong combat quirk meant nothing in the face of a Healing Quirk. Heroes patrolled around their school during school hours now, Heroes and their sidekicks practically thronged along the path between Orudera and Izumi’s apartment. Katsuki found himself fighting off Izumi’s bullies more now, because suddenly, they all wanted to see her quirk, and if that meant hurting her, all the better. That was brought them here, under a bridge in the abandoned industrial district, with Izumi sobbing into his chest and his arms around her shoulders.

“This is why I keep telling you to fight back,” he growled.

“But…”

“But nothing! Extras like that always go after the weak link! And that’s exactly what you are if you just lie there and take it!”

“I can’t!”

“You can! You have to! Otherwise they’ll keep coming after you!”

“Kacchan, I can’t!”

“You can! You have to!”

“I CAN’T!!!” Izumi pushed Katsuki away and scrambled to her feet and away.

“Izumi!” Katsuki leaps to his feet. A hero, Swallowtail lands in front of him. Another hero, LightGlare, recognizable by her garish sleeping bag, swings past them.

“Healers usually don’t like to fight,” Swallowtail said. “Leave her and go home. Light will talk to her and she’ll be back to normal tomorrow.”

Katsuki’s fists clench and his teeth grind together in his frustration. He nods sharply, and turns to make his way home. He hears behind him the sound of cloth swishing and snapping, and knows without turning around that Swallowtail had left, following the same path as LightGlare, trailing behind Izumi. Izumi who never left home without at least two Pro-Heroes trailing her now because her healing quirk made her a valuable commodity, and villains would target her. 

Did Izumi even need him anymore when she had a veritable army of heroes ready to cater to her every whim?

No.

Of course not.

He was just a little boy with an explosion quirk. What could he give her that the Heroes couldn’t? All he was good at was hurting her.

 --

Izumi ran home, still sobbing and froze. There was her mother, loading suitcases into the back of a car.

“Mama!”

Inko slammed the trunk shut and climbed into the car without ever looking in the direction of the child.

“Mama!” Izumi ran forward. “Where are you going?! Mama!”

The car drove away.

“Mama?!!!” Izumi screamed after the car, running after the departing vehicle. “Mama!!!”

\---

TBC


	43. Firebird pt 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> where is Inko? Shouta shouldn't be surprised, but he still thinks there could have been a better way to go about things.

Aizawa Shouta’s heart pounded in his chest as he swayed with the motion of the train. His knuckles were white with the force with which he clutched the hand strap. He had been afraid that this would happen, but never had he thought that Inko would seriously just up and leave without a word. If anything, he had been half convinced that Inko would at least go the legal route, transferring Izumi to his care on grounds that as a hero, he’d be a better guardian to her. But to leave without a word to her own child…. The Underground Hero’s teeth ground together as he bit down on his fury, wrapping it up and shoving it into the back of his mind. 

Shouta disembarked at the station and made his way up to the surface where he would walk to the precinct where Izumi was being kept.

“Eraserhead!” LightGlare called as he appeared around the corner.

“LightGlare,” he greeted, “How is she?”

“She hasn’t stopped crying for her mother,” Light shook her head.

“Understandable under the circumstances,” Shouta grumbled, honestly, what was his fool sister thinking? Had she even been thinking?

Light’s face was sympathetic, “I hope you have an easier time of it. Nothing Swallow and I can say will comfort her.”

Shouta shook his head without another word and strode into the precinct. Immediately he felt as if there was a heavy cloud over his head. Sure enough, he found the source of the doom and gloom aura, his niece. There were several female officers around her, trying to cheer up the abandoned child, but nothing was working. He breathed slowly out through his nose in aggravation and strode forward, dodging LightGlare’s sympathetic pat on the back.

“Hey, kiddo,” Shouta squeezed past a the female officers and knelt in front of his niece, “How are you holding up?”

Izumi sniffled and stared at him, tears still pouring down her cheeks.

“Yeah, I thought so,” Shouta fished a package of tissues from his pocket and pulled out a tissue to dap at her face, “Guess it’s you and me now, right? We’ll find your mom, and you can ask her what she thought she was doing. Until then, you can stay with me, alright, kid?”

Izumi nodded slowly, still sobbing.

Shouta sighed. Really. What was Inko thinking?

\---

Finding Inko was actually much easier than they thought it would be, it had only really taken a month to track down Shouta’s wayward sister. She made no effort to hide her trail, but finding out that she’d checked herself into a mental health facility was a surprise. Finding out that she’d been diagnosed with acute anxiety and depression was not a very big surprise, though Shouta wished Inko had picked a different method of dealing with things. There had to be a different way of getting treatment without breaking Izumi’s heart.

“I guess it was less carelessness that lead up to it and more love, huh?” Hizashi asked as Shouta turned the empty beer can in his hands.

“She could have said something,” Shouta growled, “Anything but just leaving Izumi in the street and breaking her heart.”

“What’s done is done,” Hizashi leaned back, throwing an arm around Shouta’s shoulders, “and we both knew that Izumi was going to become your responsibility when Inko stopped being able to cope.”

“I would have appreciated a warning,” Shouta growled.

There was a sudden creak of a loose floorboard. Both heroes looked in the direction of the interior hallway where they had once intentionally loosened a board as an alarm.

“Izumi?” Shouta set down the empty can and stood up, “What’s wrong?”

“Does… Does that mean you found Mama?”

Shouta paused.

“We did,” Hizashi said.

Izumi took a hesitant step into the living room. “And?”

There was no help for it was there? “Inko checked herself into a psychiatric institution,” Shouta sighed. “She’ll be staying there for the foreseeable future.”


	44. Vice Versa pt 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life goes on-kinda
> 
> Izuku isn't even trying anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued from [Vice-Versa](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13865331)
> 
> Summary: When it happened, all of Yuuei was involved. Some how, everyone got body swapped. So far as anyone could tell, there were only two exceptions, Midoriya Izuku and Aizawa Shota.

Izuku barely recognizes himself in the way Aizawa-sensei carries himself. His teacher had dragged himself, aching bones, stiff joints, sniffly nose and all down into the common area, where in the communal kitchen, he was making tea.

“Sensei,” Izuku said, “Do you need help?”

Aizawa-sensei shook his head mutely, and shuffled over to the sofa where he slouched over a cup of rice porridge and green tea. Izuku leaves him to it and goes to check on the 1-B dorms like Blood King-sensei had asked him to earlier. As the teenager leaves, he realizes that he’s going to have some issues not calling his teachers by their given names once this is over. He hopes that Mic-sensei and All Might will appreciate the joke when the time comes, because even Izuku can see that by not telling the other teachers that he and Aizawa-sensei had swapped, that they were taking a terrible risk with not only their own safety, but everyone in the school who thought Aizawa-Sensei was still himself.

\---

When Izuku patrols Yuuei as Aizawa-sensei, he has to deliberately force his attention to wander; swinging his attention from one thing to the other, using all the tricks he learned in Orudera to evade his bullies to be on the lookout for anything unusual that may have entered the school. He can’t afford to hyperfocus, can’t afford to start analyzing how Aizawa-sensei’s skin and muscles shift and contract, can’t afford to analyze how Aizawa-sensei’s gait reflects the exercises and flexibility that the man has cultivated. If he starts to hyperfocus, if he allows himself the luxury of analysis, he will start muttering, and muttering is very much a Midoriya Izuku trait and Aizawa-sensei might just kill him for giving away the game, body swapped or not.

\---

Kendo sighed as Monoma was dragged away by yet another teacher for belligerent behavior. She hoped Aizawa-sensei could get to the bottom of this soon, because if Monoma continued like this, someone would kill him out of frustration. Most likely one of their classmates.

\---

Aizawa jerked awake with a sneeze and groaned as the headache in his temples intensified and his throat spasmed as if he’d just swallowed a mouthful of glass. The Problem Child really was the sort to be Plus Ultra about everything; even getting sick.  
Headache and scratchy throat or no, Aizawa relished the ease with which he drifted off into sleep. It was something he hadn’t had since he’d graduated from school. Teenagers really did have it good...

Ah, bliss…

\---

“I’m almost sure that Aizawa didn’t get out of this unscathed,” Midnight said in the teacher’s lounge, where the bodyswapped teachers and one guest had been gathered with tea and non alcoholic drinks. “He’s been acting oddly. And no one has seen the Midoriya kid since this whole thing started!”

“Young Midoriya is ill!” All Might rebutted, “It’s understandable that he would want to stay in his room and rest!”

The entire room winced as All Might’s control slipped and Hizashi’s quirk amplified the last few words.

“In either case,” Cementoss said, shaking his head in a futile attempt to stop the ringing in his ears-Hounddog’s ears were appropriately sensitive so slip-ups on All Might’s part affected him particularly badly- “It doesn’t seem like Aizawa has changed at all to me. Perhaps I am biased since I have not known him as long or as well as you do, Kayama, but that detective-Maomasa, I believe?”

“Naomasa!” All Might boomed.

Cementoss winced, “Yes, Naomasa-san has a truthtelling quirk. Surely he would have mentioned if Aizawa were actually the Midoriya boy playing a part?”

“Ishiyama has a point, you know?” Ectoplasm said, “If Detective Naomasa has not said anything, then it must be Aizawa. I don’t see a police officer being the type to knowingly put a child in danger.”

Midnight sighed, “Fine… But I still say he’s acting fishy.”

“Please don’t pout, Kayama,” Cementoss said, “My face isn’t made for that expression.”

“But I’m bored!!!!” Midnight whined.

The door suddenly slammed open, and Aizawa appeared in the doorway, shoving in a student. “Your student, your problem,” the Erasing Hero growled, “If I catch this brat trying to get into my students’ costume lockers again, I am throwing him off the tower roof, Kan.”

Blood King groaned and rubbed his-Recovery Girl’s forehead. “Monoma-kun, why are you like this? And at a time like this, too...”

\---

Aizawa chuckled, “I’ve never outright threatened to throw a student off the tower before, Problem Child. The faculty are going to start thinking I’m overworked at the rate you’re going.”

Izuku winced. “Sorry, sir.”

“Don’t be,” Aizawa muttered, “You’re not doing anything I wouldn’t.” He frowned at the lesson plan and pulled Izuku’s textbook closer and squinted at the words. “Have you considered getting an eye exam, kid?”

Izuku grinned, crooked and wild, “No. You can’t see because you’re leaning so much that your nose is touching the page, sensei.”

Aizawa sat up straight and blinked blearily at his student. “Not a word.”

“No, sensei,” Izuku agreed, still grinning, “Not a peep.”

“Brat,” Aizawa muttered.


	45. Windward Bound pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Yuuei Entrance Exam is the gate to Izumi's dreams. There, she meets faces familiar and new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Continuation of IOA-30 [Windward Bound](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14979236/chapters/37307891)
> 
> Summary: Once upon a time, a heroine left her daughter with her estranged brother. An Underground Hero thinks he might be falling in love with the owner of his neighborhood's bakery, and All Might and his new sidekick make waves.

** Part 2: UA Entrance Exam **

Izumi, seated in the crook of All Might’s arm, the both of them hidden in a nearby alley, leaned back and stared up at the massive glass towers that loomed beyond the gate. This was the famous school that both her Uncle and Mother had attended on their paths to becoming heroes. Aizawa-san was a teacher in this facility, and a handful of other heros as well.

“Are you ready?” All Might asked her.

“No,” she whispered, “But this… This is the road to the future.”

“You will be fine,” All Might rumbled, “I wish you had just allowed me to recommend you instead of taking the Entrance Exams. You still can’t control all of One for All.”

“Aizawa-san teaches here,” Izumi said tartly, “And you were the one who said that it’s better if he doesn’t make any connection between All Might and Toshinori beyond Toshinori’s alias as All Might’s Secretary. Isn’t that why you rejected Principal Nedzu’s cushy offer of a teaching job?”

“I worry,” All Might said quietly, “Your healing quirk only triggers under very specific circumstances. Considering that the Practical Exam hasn’t changed since I attended….”

“I won’t fail so easily, Uncle,” Izumi said, “Five percent is not a lot, but it will have to be enough.”

“Then make the best of it! Go beyond! Blow them all away!” All Might boomed cheerily as he cuddled her close and Izumi giggled, wrapping her arms around her uncle’s shoulders as best as she could.

“Plus Ultra!” Izumi laughs as All Might sets her feet on the ground.

“Good luck, Izumi,” he said quietly, “I believe in you.”

“Thanks, Dad! Love you!” Izumi ran toward the gate, then tripped as she realized what she’d just said.

She glanced behind her and her jaw dropped. All Might was couched on the floor, his hands covering his mouth and a red flush was creeping over his face. His entire body shook, his iconic V-shaped bangs trembling like a tree in high winds.

“All Might?!”

All Might burst into motion, sweeping Izumi into his arms with a loud, “I love you too, Izumi!!!! I’m so happy!!!”

“All Might~!!!” Izumi laughed, “You derp! Put me down! I’m going to be late!”

All Might laughed and set Izumi back on her feet. “Off you go then!”

Izumi laughed and ran into the school.

\---

In Yuuei, she is seated near another boy, the blonde looks familiar, red eyes gleaming in the light of the testing theater. He looks like he’s going to snap at any minute, and all of Izumi’s instincts, honed after three years of internship with her uncle, scream at her to watch the other boy, to be wary. The way small explosions go off in his clenched fist, the way he glares at her, the way his body shakes with barely restrained violence; all of it ignites a sense of Deja Vu, and all of her instincts scream at her to run away, to bring him down before he lashes out. He’s a threat, her self preservation whispers, you know him, even if you have forgotten. Izumi is so strung out, she barely holds herself back from throwing herself at Aizawa-san when she sees him in the hall on their way to the physical testing arena. It takes all of her self control to hide her fear.

“Yagi-san!” Izumi turned to come face to face with one of her schoolmates.

“Iida-san!” she said, “I should have expected to see you here!”

“Yes!” Iida said cheerfully, “I did not expect to see you here though. I thought you would go to support instead.”

“I took the Support Exams last week,” Izumi laughed, “But I wanted to try for Heroics. You never know if you don’t try, right?”

“Either way we will be schoolmates!” Iida said, “I admire your dedication, Yagi-san!”

There was a blare of noise as a buzzer went off. “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR LISTENERS?!” Present Mic bawled, “THERE’S NO ONE TO TELL YOU TO START IN REAL LIFE YOU KNOW?!”

“Good luck, Iida-san!” Izumi turned and ran into the simulated city.

“You also, Yagi-san!” Iida revved his engines and dashed past her.

Izumi allowed herself to fall behind her peers a little, grabbing two lengths of broken pipework from the rubble of the downed robots that were the right length for tonfa before taking to the rooftops.

The exam went by quickly as a blur of screaming, explosions, and the screech of metal. Izumi’s hands are raw from the metal without the protection provided by her gloves. Then the Zero Pointers emerged, and Izumi saw her.

“Help!” the moon faced girl cried as she struggled to shift the rubble that had fallen on her when the Zero Pointers had appeared.

Izumi frowned as another examinees ran past the trapped girl without noticing her.

“I guess there’s no help for it,” Izumi ran toward the girl and jammed a pipe into a crack and began levering the concrete slab up. “Pull yourself out if you can!” She shouted.

A shadow fell over them. “It’s going to step on us!” the trapped girl screamed, “Run away!”

Izumi glanced up as the Zero Pointer lifted it’s foot and did some fast calculations and determined that the girl was spot on. They were going to get stepped on.

….

Yeah no. No way. Not gonna happen.

Izumi flushed her body with One for All, green lightning sparking over her body as she threw herself into the air. Power rushed through her veins, a rich, dark heat that seared her from the inside out.

“Axel!” She wound up for a punch, “Breaker!”

The Zero Pointer exploded. And then Izumi felt her flesh split and her bones creaked and cracked and splintered. Izumi bit her tongue to hold back a scream as white hot lances of agony stabbed through her nerves and the flesh and bone of her arm protested the abuse that pushing One for All beyond her limit had inflicted. She couldn’t afford to loose focus. If she hit the ground without One for All to reinforce her body, the entire testing arena would see her die and be reborn from her own ashes!

A hand slapped her face and suddenly, her decent was slowed.

“Ah,” the girl coughed, “I almost thought I wouldn’t make it!”

“You saved me!” Izumi cried.

“You saved me first!”

There was a loud buzz as the timer went off. “AND THAT’S A WRAP KIDS!!! THIS EXAM IS OVER!!!!” Present Mic bawled from where ever he had been watching the exam.

Both girls hit the ground with a thump as the gravity girl started suffering backlash from her quirk and vomited over the side of the slab of rubble she had been lying on.

“Oh, that…” Izumi made a face, “I think I would prefer your quirk backlash to mine…”

The aged but kindly voice of Recovery Girl cut through the chatter and Izumi winced. Oh, she was so dead…

“Well, who else is hurt?” Recovery Girl called, and Izumi sighed. Might as well bite the bullet.

“Here,” Izumi staggered to her feet. All of her muscles screamed at her, she’d pushed herself beyond her tolerance. “I pushed my body too hard, I’m afraid.”

“At least you know where your limits are, dearie,” Recovery Girl sighed. She gave Izumi’s shattered arms a smooch, and Izumi shivered as she felt flesh and bone knit back together. “Have a gummi.” The elderly healer handed Izumi a handful of sweets and turned away, “Is there anyone else in need of healing?!”

“Excuse me! Kindly let me pass!” Iida’s voice cut through the babble. “Yagi-san! Please excuse me! Coming through! Yagi-san!”

Izumi turned, “Iida-san!”

Iida managed to squeeze out of the throng. “Are you alright, Yagi-san? How is your arm?”

Izumi winced, “I’m alright, Iida-san. Recovery Girl has healed everything.”

“That’s good.” The bespectacled boy looked around, “Let’s get you out of here, Yagi-san. I’ll walk you home.”

“Sounds like a brilliant idea, Iida-san.”

\---

Izumi drowsed against Iida’s shoulder on the train ride home. One for All took a toll on the body, and Recovery Girl’s healing took stamina from the person being healed. She was glad for her classmate’s presence as Iida took her school bag from her and chivvied her off the train at her stop. He took her arm and guided her up the stairs of the platform, muttering encouragement to her as her energy waned.

Out on the street, it seemed like a small eternity of bright lights and loud noises until Iida and she were stopped by a familiar voice. Distantly, she heard Iida and what sounded like Aizawa having a quiet discussion, and suddenly, her feet left the floor and she was being carried against a broad, warm chest that smelled like coffee and cinnamon.

“I’ve got you,” Aizawa’s voice rumbled against her ear, “Go ahead and sleep.”

\---

When Izumi woke, it was to the smell of fresh bread and cakes. She opened her eyes to the familiar sight of her bedroom and the sun was setting outside. Yawning, she slid out from under the covers and wandered to the door. She noticed as she passed the mirror in the hall that she was still in her uniform, and she descended the stairs.

“Izumi!” Toshinori boomed, “You’re awake!”

“I’m home,” she yawned, “What did I miss?”

“Aizawa-kun carried you back!” Toshinori grinned, “He said that Iida-kun told him you were falling asleep on him on the train, so when Aizawa-kun saw you on the street, he took the liberty of bringing you back!”

“My heroes,” Izumi grinned, “I’ll have to thank them both later.”

“Bake them a cake,” Toshinori said, a conspiratory twinkle in his eyes, “I know they both love your cinnamon crumble.”

“I think I will!”

\---TBC---


	46. Are you My Mummy?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Might's sense of humor rears it's head at the most inappropriate of times.

"To ensure no one falls prey to Mustard's toxic emissions, all heroes are issued one of these!" The Hero Association grunt held up gas masks. "Put them on now, and get to heroing!" 

All Might puts on the gas mask he was offered and shuffles over to the Hero Association grunt, "Are you my mummy?"

"Doctor! I mean, All Might!" Izuku laughed, "Now's not the time!"

"Are you my mummy?" All Might swung his head to face his student ponderously, "Mummy! Mummy!" He swept up Izuku into a massive bear-hug, cuddling him like a child sized teddy. "Are you my mummy?"

"That's quite enough!" Sir Nighteye stepped up to the bat since Izuku was laughing too hard to intervene, "Don't test me! I'm very, very cross right now! Go to your room!"

"Are you my mummy?" All Might turned toward Sir Nighteye.

"I said, Go. To. Your. Room!"

All Might dropped Izuku onto his feet and shuffled in the direction the other heroes had scattered to earlier.

"I'm glad that worked," Sir Nighteye said to the baffled and vaguely terrorized Hero Association grunt, "That would have been terrible last words."

Izuku dropped to the ground and rolled around laughing so hard he started crying.


	47. Implacable: Pt 11 (The Work Study pt1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Work Study Begins

**Chapter 11: The Work Study**

 

The morning the first year teachers were to send their students off for their week long work-study internships, Shouta was in the teacher’s lounge, three of his students in front of him.

 

“Todoroki, Iida, and Bakugou,” he read off a sheet of paper even though he didn’t really need it, “You three are here because based on your early psychological profiles and recent events impacting you, the school decided that you would not be allowed to pick the agency that you would be performing work study internship with.”

 

“What?!” Bakugou’s snarl was expected.

 

Shouta raised an unimpressed eyebrow, “You were so unruly during the Closing Ceremony of the Sports Festival that the staff was forced to use Villain Restraining Equipment on you. The fact that despite your thoroughly unheroic behavior, you still received such a large volume of recommendations meant that the school’s administration felt that many of those heroes, with the exception of a handful, wanted you solely for your quirk. That won’t help you grow at all. So the school picked for you.”

 

He turned to the two other students. “Todoroki,” Shouta said.

 

The boy looked at him placidly.

 

Shouta, not for the first time, wondered how Endeavor had turned from the fun loving man Tsunagu once mentioned had tripped over himself trying to talk to a pretty girl to the great flaming douchebag that he was now. If he had never changed, would Todoroki Touya be missing now, believed dead? Maybe Rei would be happy and not institutionalized and Todoroki Shoto would, perhaps, never have been scarred.

 

“There is not one person in the industry who does not see what Endeavor is doing. The Hero Commission is the only thing preventing us from acting. You are not alone. That is why you will not be given the chance to be pressured into interning with Endeavor during the work study. Yuuei will give you the opportunity to learn how you can save people with fire by putting you in the care of an agency containing predominantly fire quirks.”

 

Todoroki’s expression was still placid, but the tension in his shoulders had relaxed.

 

“And Iida,” Shouta said, watching as the bespectacled teen stiffened. “Your application to Manual has been denied. You are not being allowed to go anywhere near Hosu, especially after what happened to Ingenium. For your own sake, the school is sending you to intern with an Underground Hero who is also a certified grief therapist.”

 

“But sensei-” Iida started before Shouta cut him off.

 

“No. The decision was made and your parents have already agreed that this is the best course. You are not coming within a hundred meters of Hosu.”

 

Iida slumped in his seat as if all the fight had been sucked out of him. “Yes, sensei,” he said sullenly.

 

Shouta smiled crookedly, “What good luck that all three of you are interning at the same agency.” He placed a single sheet of paper in front of each boy. “Iida, you will be interning under The Clairvoyant Hero: Grimm of Technically Not Villains. Bakugou, you will be in the care of The Deep Sea Hero: Megathirio. If there is anyone in the entire place who will not string you up by the intestines for rudeness, it will be him.” Shouta immediately erased the blonde’s quirk as Bakugou’s hands began to spark and the teen leapt to his feet. Just to be safe, Shouta used his capture weapon to tie the brat to his chair and added evenly, “With luck, he'll give you a much needed attitude adjustment too. Don’t even think of attacking him,” Shouta warned, “He’s the most dangerous of the TNV’s five founders for a reason.”

 

“Todoroki,” Shouta turned to the last of his students, “You will most likely receive advice from everyone in the agency with fire quirks, and Technically Not Villains is overwhelmingly populated by either water quirks or fire quirks. You will be interning with The Wild Hero: Hellhound. She will be able to teach you not only control over your fire, but how to manage without your quirks if needed.”

 

Shouta glanced at Bakugou, “Are you calm?”

 

“Yeah,” Bakugou muttered mulishly.

 

Shouta released the teenager and wound the capture weapon back around his shoulders.

 

“Then here is how this will work; After I’ve put your classmates on the trains, I will escort you to TNV’s Musutafu headquarters. Don’t be little shits. You’re dealing with some of the most volatile heroes in the industry, some don’t have any tolerance for stupidity, and some will egg you on until you hang yourselves. If they break you, that’s on you. Got it?”

 

\---  
  


Izuku stared at the dilapidated exterior of the house and the area around it. Slowly, he pulled out his phone.

 

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: AllMight.Mighty@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Monday June 11, 2018 4:24 PM  _

_ Subject: Internships _

 

_ All Might _

_ Can you confirm the address I’m supposed to be meeting Gran Torino at again? _

_ Izuku _

  
  


**From: AllMight.Mighty@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 4:26 PM**

**Subject: Re: Internships**

 

**Of course, Young Midoriya!**

**Image Attached**

**All Might >(:D)**

 

Izuku stared at the address and back at the house. He was in the right place… He sighed. There was no hope for his. He made his way toward the grungey, creaky door. 

 

“Hello?” Izuku called, “Is anybody there?” He gingerly knocked, and the door swung slowly open, the hinges squealing loudly. “Hello? Gran Torino? I’m Midoriya Izuku. I’m here for Yuuei’s Work Study Program? Hello?”

 

Izuku felt the tiny hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as he edged into the darkened house. “Hello?”

 

Distantly, Izuku could smell over the musty scent of an unkempt home gone too long without airing, the faint whiff of salt and old meat… mixed with… copper? Alarm sparked through him as he made his way deeper into the house, coming to the kitchen where an old man was revealed, collapsed on the floor, surrounded by what appeared to be the makings of a meal. Izuku scrambled over to press shaky fingers to the elderly man’s throat, feeling for a pulse. How long had he been in this state!? There was a pulse, that was all Izuku had the time to be certain of before the man jerked up into a seated position.

 

“I’m alive!” he shouted.

 

Izuku yanked his hand away and leapt backward, knowing better than to be too close to a hero (even a former hero) who appeared to have woken suddenly. Reflexes are a bitch to master and counter, as Izuku had learned the hard way with All Might during his conditioning period before the entrance exams.

 

“I’m alive!” the old man shouted, “I’m not dead!” He turned toward Izuku, grinning, “I scared you, didn’t I?”

 

“I…” Izuku sucked in a breathe, “You did, Gran Torino.”

 

The elderly hero squinted at him through the gloom. “Who are you? Toshinori?”

 

Izuku floundered, flustered and confused, “No, I’m Izuku. Midoriya Izuku. You nominated me for internship?”

 

“Eh? Is that you, Toshinori?”

 

Izuku blinked slowly at Gran Torino, wondering if the elderly hero was suffering from memory problems. And who was this “Toshinori” he kept asking about? Was that All Might’s real name? 

 

“I’m not Toshinori,” Izuku said, “I am Midoriya Izuku. Your intern.”

 

“Eh?” Gran Torino blinked. “What intern? Where’s Toshinori?”

 

Izuku wanted to facepalm. What the hell?

 

\---

 

A few minutes later, after Gran Torino had gotten the prank out of his system, Izuku finds himself standing in the middle of a surprisingly empty living room in his costume with Gran Torino. Moments later, Izuku finds himself in the unenviable position of having to try-and fail miserably-at landing a hit on the elderly hero.

 

_ ‘Is this what butter feels like in the mixer when we cream it?!’ _ he thought hysterically as another blow from Gran Torino from behind sent him reeling face first into a wall.

 

“Really, kid,” Gran Torino sighed, “The hell has Toshinori been teaching you? You’re hopeless. Are you really going to be the next Symbol of Peace?”

 

Izuku prized himself out of a crater in the wall and glared over his shoulder at the elderly hero.

 

“I’m sorry I don’t meet your high standards,” he said sarcastically, “But in case you haven’t noticed, All Might may be a great hero, but he’s a shit teacher.”

 

“You’re not wrong,” Gran Torino said, “But he’s not entirely to blame. You’re problem is up here.” Gran Torino poked Izuku’s forehead with two fingers. “You’re spending too much time thinking of One for All as All Might’s Quirk; a gift, a treasure. It’s not. Get used to thinking of it as  _ your _ quirk, because that’s what it is. One for All at this time is not All Mights, it’s  _ yours _ . Until you get that through your skull, you’ll never be able to control it.”

 

\---

 

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Monday June 11, 2018 11:34 PM  _

_ Subject: Internships _

 

_ Shouta _

_ I am butter in a mixer. _

_ Izuku _

 

\--

 

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 12:56 PM**

**Subject: Re: Internships**

 

**Izuku,**

**WTF? Are you alright, Izuku?**

**Shouta**

 

\---

 

“All Might, I think Izuku’s gone insane.”

 

“Insane?” Toshinori  took one look at Izuku’s message and shook his head. “More likely he’s suffering a concussion. Gran Torino’s style hasn’t changed at all it looks like.”

 

“Why would-” Shouta started.

 

“Gran Torino is a big fan of the hands on style of teaching,” Toshinori winced, “He never let up, not even when I was puking from exhaustion.”

 

Hizashi looked alarmed, “And you sent the kid to him?!”

 

“Gran Torino is a contemporary of my late Teacher,” Toshinori shrugged, “There are few people with a better understanding of how to teach a child to control a strength quirk. He helped her through learning control when they were both young after all.”

 

* * *

 

Iida Tenya stared out the window of the school car as they turned up the long drive toward the multistory building that was the main Japanese Headquarters for Technically Not Villains. He remembered being told that TNV was one of five International Underground Hero Agencies, though they never put signs on their buildings in order to maintain the illusion that they were a small office. He’d heard rumors that despite being very large and very prestigious Underground, TNV was on shaky ground with Japan’s Hero Association, mostly because TNV had backed the Underground Hero Union in keeping Underground Heroes out of the rankings and for snapping up many promising young heroes that the Association had hoped to promote in the rankings. 

 

Hero Industry politics was a cutthroat business and TNV kept one upping the Hero Association entirely without meaning to, simply because they had Grimm and Megathirio, both of whom were licensed therapists and Quirk Counselors.

 

A yellow-green something slammed onto the hood of the car and the driver slammed onto the brakes, the sudden stop flinging the garish yellow and neon lime green padded thing flying.

 

“LightGlare,” Shouta sighed from the front seat. He rolled down the window and stuck his head and shoulders out, “Are you alright, Light?”

 

The thing, a person wrapped in a sleeping bag, wriggled and a woman popped out. “Fine! Mana just yeeted me out a window!” She paused as if thinking, "Again!" she tacked on.

 

“She wouldn’t do that if you did your share of the paperwork!”   


 

“I’m allergic to paperwork!” LightGlare whined.

 

Shouta blinked slowly and resumed normal seated position in the car. “Did I mention that one of the Founders is fond of defenestrating people?” he asked the children. “So don’t be a little shit, Bakugou.” He nodded to the driver, “Drive on.”

 

Slowly, the car started moving again, passing LightGlare who was bundled into her sleeping bag once again and was slowly wriggling up the long drive back toward the Estate.

 

“Shouldn’t we help her?” Iida asked warily.

 

“And where are we going to put her?” Shouta asked, “In the trunk?”

 

\---

 

The car made it to the end of the drive, and as the three teens and their teacher left the car, LightGlare wriggled past them up the slate stairs.

 

“....How the fuck did she fucking get here that fucking fast?!” Bakugou demanded.

 

No one paid his question any attention, too fixated on the screaming figure falling from the side of the building. 

 

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-ack!” The figure’s screams cut short as the bungee cord snapped back and began bouncing them up and down before coming to a complete stop, her toes dangling just inches above the top of the main door.

 

LightGlare rolled onto her back, “Again, Swallow? You’d think you would know better by now!”

 

“I do know better,” the girl said, “I just don’t listen to my well trained instincts because this is funnier.”

 

“That,” Shouta said from behind the teens, “Is the Paralysis Hero: Swallowtail. She often runs afoul of heroes with a penchant for dangling people off the side of buildings. Once again, this is why you should avoid being a little shit.”

 

“Excellent advice for life in general, Eraserhead,” said a female voice as four figures emerged from the building.

 

None of them looked very impressive to the children, not the tall skinny man who looked like the strange blonde skeleton man who hung around Midoriya everytime he got hurt, not the man who looked like a younger, clean shaven version of their teacher, not the woman who looked like a female version of their teacher, not even the green scaled woman with fins and a mullet. But they had all learned since the USJ incident that it was a bad idea to judge anyone’s strength based on looks. Despite not looking very impressive, all four walked with the grace of trained fighters, and carried themselves with confidence.

 

“From left to right,” Shouta said, “Mana, Megathirio, Aenon, and Death. They are colloquially known as the Big Five, the Five Founders of Technically Not Villains.”

 

“Five?” Todoroki asked, “There’s only four...”

 

“Seraphim left us for greener pastures,” Aenon shrugged.”It happens.”

 

“Sensei,” Shoto said.

 

“Hmm?” Shouta turned toward his student.

 

“Are you somehow related to Mana and Megathirio?”

 

“No,” Megathirio chuckled.

 

Shouta raised an eyebrow but didn’t bother replying. At the top of the stairs, Mana rocked back and forth on her heels, the corners of her lips twitching upward in a faint smile.

 

“Anyway!” A pale, silver haired figure slid out of the shadows at the bottom of the stairs, “Which one of you is Iida Tenya?”

 

“Ah! I am, ma’am!” Iida’s back straightened as if jerked by a string.

 

“Hmmm,” she brought a skull shaped mug to her lips and sipped at the steaming beverage within. “I’m not impressed,” she said coldly and climbed the stairs, “Come along kid, we’re gonna talk before anything else starts.”

 

“Better hurry before she hangs you next to me,” Swallowtail said.

 

“Yes ma’am!” Iida practically saluted and ran after Grimm.

 

“Woof!” A fluffy, bi-pedal dog raced past Yuuei’s car and vaulted over a rail, landing three steps below the landing. “You’re Todoroki Shouto, woof?” her tail wagged cheerfully.

 

“Yes,” Shouto stepped forward, “You are Hellhound?”

 

“I am, woof!” Hound raised a furry paw-like hand, “From what I’ve seen, you’re not used to using your fire, woof? I can help you with control. Come inside, woof. I’d like a closer look at what you will need help with.”

 

“Understood,” Shouto followed Hellhound as she turned and scarpered up the stairs and into the building.

 

Distantly, they could hear Shouto asking, “Hellhound-san? Are you by any chance related to Hounddog-san?” and Hellhound’s yipping laughter.

 

“And then there was one,” Megathiro said, a tentacle slithering out from the collar of his shirt to scratch thoughtfully at his cheek, thoroughly breaking the image of a younger, clean shaven Aizawa Shouta. “Well, I suppose it’s you and me kid.”

 

“I’m not a fucking kid!”

 

“Stubborn enough to be one,” Death muttered, “If you guys need me, I’ll be in bed. I haven’t slept for three days because of the mess with the Majin Buu-wanna-be.”

 

“Right,” Aenon’s earfins flicked back, “Good luck with Explodo-brat, Quint. I’ll be finishing the paperwork if you need me.”

 

“I have a flight to catch,” Mana nodded, “You know where to find me if you need me.” She leapt over the railing and hooked her arm around Shouta’s. “Do you need to send the car back right away? I want to talk to you about one of your old arrests, Sariel.”

 

Shouta inclined his head. “We’ll talk on the way to the airport then,” he agreed, and the pair climbed into the backseat. 

 

As the car pulled away, Megathirio descended the stairs. 

 

“Well then, young man, you and I are going to have a nice, long discussion about what it means to be a hero, and just why you seem to think becoming the second coming of Endeavor is a good thing…” 

 

He whipped a tentacle around Bakugou and they vanished in a blur. They appeared briefly on the roof, where Bakugou could be heard cursing Megathirio’s parentage at the top of his lungs, and vanished again, Bakugou’s voice cutting off suddenly.

 

“Wow. I’ve been completely forgotten,” Swallowtail said to no one in particular. “Wh-whoa!” A gust of wind, generated by Megathirio’s high speed movements blew past, making her swing through the air.

 

* * *

 

Izuku woke up on the second day of the work study program knowing Gran Torino was going to cream him like butter in a mixer. The end result, he was sure, would be less pretty than a cake. Sure enough, the entire morning was spent with him being beaten up by a geriatric hero who really should not be able to move as quickly as he did.


	48. Implacable: Pt 12 (The Work Study pt2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End of the workstudy

#  Chapter 12: The Work Study pt 2

 

Izuku woke up on the second day of the work study program knowing Gran Torino was going to cream him like butter in a mixer. The end result, he was sure, would be less pretty than a cake. Sure enough, the entire morning was spent with him being beaten up by a geriatric hero who really should not be able to move as quickly as he did. But Izuku would not deny having learned  _ loads _ from the ancient hero. Up to and including what made the Yoda wanna-be tick.

 

“You look like you’ve made a breakthrough, kid,” Gran Torino studied him thoughtfully, “And by that, I mean you’ve started thinking of One for All as a part of you now. That’s good, it means we can get started on the hard part. Get your costume on. We’re heading out.”

 

“Heading out?”

 

“Yeah. We could easily spar for the entire week, there are some who will, but that’s not the point of the work study program. You need to get out there and gain some real world experience. Besides, sparring with just me all the time will lead to you developing bad habits.”

 

\---

 

There must be something in the water, Bakugou thought mulishly as he stared at the man who looked like Aizawa, but with tentacles. Honestly, what was so bad about being like Endeavor? Sure he was a dick, but he was strong, and he only ever lost consistently to All Might, and fucking damn it, it was All Might. There was no shame in losing to All Might, and Endeavor was the only hero who wasn’t a pansy ass snowflake. The fake sighed.

 

“Kid, you can resent this situation all you like,” he said in a weak, limp dick voice, “But we  _ will  _ talk about your hang ups, your unhealthy obsession with Midoriya, and your ridiculous temper.”

 

“Fuck off,” Bakugou sneered. As if he were going to talk to a weakling. And he  _ had _ to be weak. Everyone knew that people with speed quirks were physically weak, and the stupid tentacles were  _ squishy _ . He doubted the faker could hurt a  _ marshmallow. _

 

\---

 

Oh god, oh god, he was gonna die. Why did he leave the train? Why didn’t he stop to talk to Manual when he saw him? It would have saved him so much trouble. But Native would be dead right now instead of just paralyzed, if he hadn’t right? So maybe one good thing had come from his disobedience.

 

Izuku ducked under a thrown knife and palmed his phone, quickly typing a message by touch and sending it. He had no idea if he’d sent to to everyone who needed knowing, but god, he hoped he’d managed. He managed to land a kick to Stain’s head before grabbing Native and booking it while the Hero Killer was disorientated.

 

A knife flew past him and Izuku yelped as Native shouted a warning. His joints were screaming at him, jesus christ. Gran Torino was going to kill him. If he survived this, he was  _ not _ going to tell Shouta.  _ Shouta must never know _ or Izuku would be worse than dead.

 

\---

 

“DiediediedieDIE!!!”

 

Megathirio ducked and weaved between explosions, a thoroughly exasperated expression on his face. “Now, young man,” the dark haired hero said, “How is this in anyway behavior fit for a hero?”

 

“Shut up!”

 

Megathirio sighed and kept dodging. Kid didn’t want help, but didn’t seem to understand how his line of thinking was flawed. 

 

“Young man,” the hero said, “Isn’t it exhausting being angry all the time? Don’t you think you could potentially have a more meaningful relationship with your peers if you were less violent?”

 

“Shut the fucking hell up you fucking extra! I don’t need help from fucking weaklings!”

 

“And yet you haven’t landed a single blow. Let me tell you, young man, even Etsuko could take you down as you are right now, and she isn’t exactly the brightest bulb in the box.”

 

Oh, fuck no. It was ON. A massive explosion blasted through the training field.

 

Megathirio reappeared moments later perched on top of a pine tree, wiping his forehead with a hankie. “Whew, that was close. That might have actually stung. If nothing else, he’s got a strong quirk and a good handle on it.”

 

“ASSHOLE!!!” the enraged shout was followed by another explosion and the tree creaked and began to topple.

 

“Whoops,” Megathirio leapt off the tree and spun two tentacles above his head, the two makeshift helicopter blades allowing him to hover in mid-air. “Did I make him mad?”

 

\---

 

There was a staff meeting taking place in Yuuei when three phones went off.

 

“A location?” Hizashi looked confused.

 

“A location in Hosu,” Shouta squinted at the screen. “Sent to… All contacts?” He groaned and dropped his head on the table. “That stupid, stupid child. Why does that problem child keep getting into trouble?”

 

“That’s a mood,” Toshinori agreed dryly, “A very big mood.”

 

\---

 

Izuku knows he’s in trouble when the police come to the hospital after the entire mess. Stain is in custody, the Nomu that tried to make off with him is dead, and Gran Torino’s teaching license has been revoked for not being able to control his intern. Gran Torino, after finding out why Izuku had hared off against orders, had spoken with Manual and Izuku was embarrassed to find that Iida’s application to Manual had been revoked by the school. Yuuei had rejected every offer on the behalf of three students, Iida among them, and shipped them off to an agency of the school’s choosing. Iida had never been in Hosu to start. He never even left Musutafu.

 

“And you would have known that if you’d only stopped and asked Manual, you stupid brat!” Gran Torino roared, “Instead, you’ve now got a mark on your record, and be glad it’s only a warning and that Native backed your story about stumbling across the incident by chance! Otherwise, you would be in really big trouble, since Native says that he gave you permission to use your quirk! Next time,  _ think before you act _ !!!”

 

\---

 

Iida Tenya was told about Hosu by his supervisor the day after it happened. Grimm had sat him down and read the interviews and reports out loud, including how Midoriya, worried by Iida’s state of mind and the fact that he’d been planning to intern in Hosu, had wandered right into the Hero Killer’s kill zone. Grimm smiled blandly as she finished reading the reports and laid the papers back on the folder and closed it.

 

“So, Iida,” the pale heroine said, “have you learned anything from this?”

 

“Communication is key?”

 

Grimm slowly raised an eyebrow. “Care to expand on that?”

 

Iida hesitated. “Midoriya was worried about me… If I had talked to him when he offered, he might not have gone against orders.”

 

“Hmm…” Grimm gave him the Look ™ , “Care to expand further on that?”

 

\---

 

Todoroki Shouto was not used to being treated well, especially where his fire was concerned, but this was a new one. He found himself being woken up at ungodly hours by Hellhound, followed her down to one of the training rooms, watched her get pounced on by Mana, then was instructed on how to control his fire.

 

Watching Pyrobody Mana was like watching a force of nature. If Endeavor was all the destructive force of a firestorm, Pyrobody Mana was  _ celestial _ . The combination of her Barricade and her fire quirk meant she could do things with her fire that no one else could. Actually, Shoto was sure not even Endeavor could control  _ plasma. _

 

“You don’t need to be able to heat your fire to the point of it turning blue,” Mana was fond of saying, “You just need it to be hot enough to do what needs doing.”

 

But Mana was a busy woman, and immediately after, she was on a plane to the US, and Shouto found himself left with Hellhound again.

 

“Woof. In any other circumstance, I’d take you out patrolling with me,” she said, “It would be bad for you to develop bad habits sparring with the same person over and over, woof. But you are still relatively new to the fire aspect of your quirk, so there will be no patrolling for you. Good thing there are so many people with firequirks in TNV, woof.”

 

\---

 

Bakugou was fucking tired. His palms and wrists hurt from the number of explosions he’d set off, and his ears were ringing from when he’d hit his head after Megathirio had thrown him across the clearing in the field he’d been dropped in before the other man started poking at him.He was, in particular, tired of being toted everywhere wrapped up in squishy but ridiculously durable tentacles. He wasn’t a dog dammit!

 

Thankfully, the work study week was over and his humiliation was also over.  _ finally. _

 

The door opened and an androgynous figure dressed in a long rust red jacket patterned with cacti walks in. “Hey Quint, I wanted to ask about… Why do you have a yappy lap dog tied up in your tentacles?”

 

Goddammit, he spoke too soon.

 

\---

 

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Saturday June 16, 2018 9:34 AM  _

_ Subject: Internships _

 

_ Shouta _

_ Stuff happened. I learned lots from Gran Torino, but I left the train when I was told not to and Gran Torino was punished for it. Taking away his teaching license for my disobedience is a very disproportionate punishment for the crime, but Gran Torino says that’s just how it is. Eraserhead-sensei pulled some strings and I wound up with Manual since I was already in Hosu instead of being shipped back to Musutafu. _

_ Izuku _

 

\--

 

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2018 11:56 AM**

**Subject: Re: Internships**

 

**Izuku,**

**Are you sure that’s the only thing that happened? Are you hiding things again?**

**Shouta**

 

\--

 

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Saturday June 16, 2018 12:34 PM  _

_ Subject: Re: Re: Internships _

 

_ Shouta _

_ You wound me! I promise that’s all that happened! It’s a sad day when you don’t trust me. _

_ Izuku _

 

\--

 

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2018 1:56 PM**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Internships**

 

**Izuku,**

**You’re acting like Hizashi. Now I** **know** **you’re hiding something. Spit it out, kid.**

**Shouta**

 

**\--**

 

_ From: M.Izuku@live.co.ja  _

_ To: A.Shota@live.co.ja _

_ Sent: Saturday June 16, 2018 2:45 PM  _

_ Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Internships _

 

_ Shouta _

_ I swear nothing happened! I’m not hiding anything! It’s not like I got kidnapped by a Noumu for fifteen minutes. _

_ Izuku _

 

\--

 

**From: A.Shōta@live.co.ja**

**To: M.Izuku@live.co.ja**

**Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2018 5:56 PM**

**Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Internships**

 

**… That’s it. I’m coming over and chipping you like a dog. Can’t you stay out of trouble for** **_one_ ** **Goddamn minute, you Problem Child?**

**Shouta**

 


	49. The Unsettling Teacher (Bonus Chapter)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonus reactions

The thing about attending school for heroics is that all sorts of interesting and scary things happen over the course of any given academic year. The teachers do their best to simulate for the children what they will face out in the world under controlled circumstances, but this year.... This year has been odd, to say the least, even by the standards of pro-heroes.

 

Izuku had always felt a sense of kinship with his homeroom teacher, it was a soul deep thing that could not be explained; a visceral understanding that they were important to the other, but that there was something deeply wrong here. Izuku knew that his teacher would die before allowing anything to hurt him, and he knew that he had a great deal to learn from his teacher, that there was something that could be discovered there; some truth or treasure that couldn’t be seen. They seemed to understand each other despite having never met, an immediate understanding of the other’s nature, and the willingness to die for the other--though Izuku wasn’t stupid enough to wander within arm’s reach of the man unless another hero was nearby and watching  _ (and their teachers were always watching; what did it say that the other teachers were leery of leaving the two of them alone together?) _ . Izuku had been warned by All Might beforehand not to wander too close to Aizawa for both their sakes, and Izuku had grown up with Bakugou long enough to recognize the signs of barely leashed violence. Oh, he knew that the man wouldn’t attack with provocation, but it didn’t change that something about Aizawa frightened him, even back when all he knew about the man was his hero name. He knew instinctively that no amount of distance would protect him from his teacher if it came down to it, but it was better safe than sorry.

 

And then…

 

Aizawa Shōta woke up. Or at least that was how it felt like to him.

 

He sat in the teacher’s lounge one day after hours with All Might in front of him, a pot of tea on the table between them. And as the light of the setting sun filtered in through the windows, he could almost believe that no time had passed at all. Of course, there was a difference. The soft but durable fabric of his costume was loose fitting and comfortable instead of itchy and scratchy and almost constricting around his neck and shoulders. His combat boots were a comfortable weight, designed to help him keep his balance regardless of the type of surface and the weather. It was not a starched collar and tie trying to choke him but the comfortable warmth and texture of his capture weapon that was coiled around his neck and shoulders.

 

“It feels strange,” he muttered into his capture weapon, “like a dream…”

 

“It’s about to get stranger,” All Might said quietly, “Because tomorrow is Monday and you need to face your students. Some of them, Bakugou, Todoroki and Yaoyorozu, will have cottoned on to something being wrong. Ashido is also surprisingly perceptive as well.”

 

“What do I even say?” Shōta wondered half to himself, “I was insane for the better part of two decades because there were two versions of myself here at the same time and now that my younger self has been dumped in the past with a broken mind and broken quirk, I’m sane again?”

 

“That’s a start,” All Might said dryly.

 

Shōta scoffed. “Sure. Shall I sleep in that ridiculous shrine to y-” dark eyes widened in horror, “Mom.”

 

“What?” Toshinori looked around, as if expecting Inko to appear at any moment like an infuriated avenging angel.

 

“What am I going to tell mom?!”

 

“I don’t know? The truth?”

 

“She’s going to pull out my organs.”

 

“That’s more likely to be my fate, dear boy.” Toshinori sighed, “I promised to keep you safe, and failed quite spectacularly. I also knew this would be coming, that at some point, you would be lost to time, and I never warned her about it either.”

 

Shōta blinked at him in surprise, “Oh, yeah. You’re screwed.”

  
  


Midoriya Inko was not a physically imposing woman. She was short and soft and round, but she was a mother, one who was being given bad news once again regarding her only child, from a school with a history of failing the students of said child’s generation. Toshinori wants to fidget under her expectant stare, looking so much like Nana it frightens him.

 

“Ah.. Midoriya-san…” Toshinori said nervously, “I’m afraid I have news about Young Midoriya...”

 

“Has he remembered me then?” she demands.

 

“Ahh… What?”

 

Inko sighed, looking absolutely put out. “Do you think I’m stupid?!” she demanded, “I am a Quirk Lawyer. Do you think I don’t recognize what the mark on my son’s papers mean?!  Maybe you aren’t aware, I once defended Eraserhead in court when a civilian business tried to sue him for property damage and mental trauma when Brokeback threw him through their window. I’ve seen his identification, and I put the pieces together a long time ago. His time traveller mark is the same as Izuku’s. So. All Might. Where. Is. My. Son?!”

 

The door opened gently behind the retired hero, and Shouta stepped into the apartment.

 

“There’s no need to terrorize the man,” he said, his tongue dry and thick in his mouth, “I’m right here.”

 

Inko all but shoved All Might to the side as she rushed forward, surprisingly quick for such a soft woman, and threw her arms around Shouta’s shoulders.

 

“IZUUUKUUUUUUUUUUU!!!” she wailed, sobbing, “I was so scared!!! Every time I heard about you being hurt from your younger self!!! I was so worried after Kamino Ward, and All Might came!!! Why didn’t you come iiinnnnn?!!!!”

 

“I… I’m sorry, Mama,” Shouta said in a wobbly voice, “I… I wasn’t… There was bleed through from my younger self, and… It made me unstable… I couldn’t…. I might have killed him if I came up…”

 

“I don’t care!” Inko sobbed, “I just wanted to know my boy was ok! The last time I saw you, you looked like a mummy! You told me you went to work even though you were in pain and could barely stand without help! I never got to see you graduate or have your first boyfriend or… I just wanted my boy hoommmeeee!!!”

 

Slowly, Shouta slid his arms around Inko’s waist. “I’m sorry I didn’t come home, Mama,” his voice was choked, “I… I didn’t remember…” His eyes burned. 

 

Goddammit, why wouldn’t his tear ducts work? He can cry on Hizashi with no issues just because Hizashi had decided to stay his friend despite everything that had happened, but he can’t cry for the time with his mother that he’d lost? How unfair was that?

 

After a while, Inko stopped crying, though there were still tears running down her face. “I’m glad you’re home, Izuku. Or do you answer to Shouta now? Are you hungry? I was making Katsudon before All Might came by.”

 

Shouta fidgeted, “I… A little bit?”

 

Inko let go of Shouta, “Eat as much as you can, and anything you can’t finish you can take back to the school with you.” She sniffled, “Your classmates need looking after.” She rounded on All Might, “And you’re staying for dinner too! You’re too skinny, All Might!”

  
  


The students of Class 1-A had retreated to their dorms after the fight and were under what was pretty much house arrest while the police and the school administration went over the scene of the fight with a fine toothed comb. It was day two since Izuku had been sent to locations unknown by Render, and there was no news regarding the state of either Present Mic or Aizawa, and all the children were becoming restless.

 

“We have to be patient!” Iida chopped at the air one handed as he shouted, “Aizawa-sensei will let us know if there is any news we need to know!”

 

“Aizawa-sensei?” Kaminari asked, “Don’t you mean Midoriya?”

 

“No!” Iida started chopping with both hands as his agitation grew, “Time travel means that to avoid a paradox, all of his memories as Midoriya were sealed! He’s been Aizawa-sensei for much longer than he’s been Midoriya, and in either case, he is still our teacher! We must not undermine his authority by calling him by the wrong name!”

 

“Che,” Bakugou sneered, “Once a weak nerd, always a weak nerd. He’ll cave like wet tissue like always.”

 

All of the explosive teen’s classmates stared at him incredulously. Was he honestly blinding himself to the differences between their very intimidating teacher in and meek, gentle, Midoriya? Had he gone completely insane?

 

_ SLAP! _

 

Bakugou’s head slowly turned toward the person who had slapped him.

 

“What was that for, Round Faced Bitch?!” he roared.

 

“Don’t you dare talk shit about our teacher, you ungrateful bastard!” Uraraka snapped, “In case you’ve forgotten, Sensei was the one who stood his ground until he was nearly beaten to death for our sakes!”

 

“Dude, Bakugou,” Kirishima said, “It’s not fair to think that just because he used to be Midoriya means that Aizawa-Sensei will suddenly turn into Midoriya. I mean, look at how manly he is! Midoriya as we knew him could barely string together a coherent sentence sometimes! And Aizawa-sensei made himself a target in front of the press for us, and was super manly when he did it!”

 

“There’s no doubt that Aizawa-sensei is more well spoken than Midoriya-kun was,” Yaoyorozu agreed, “And it seems his fighting style is very different too. Additionally, Aizawa-sensei is overtly meaner than Midoriya ever was.”

 

“It’s good that you know this,” Aizawa said from behind the kids, who all slowly turned to face their glowering teacher. Behind him stood All Might, and the two teachers, in their dark suits, framed in the shadowed doorway, made for an intimidating sight. “It’s almost midnight. You’re all breaking curfew.”

 

The teenagers exchanged looks and fidgeted, their postures screaming uncertainty.

 

“Sensei…” Ashido said carefully, “Are you…”

 

“I’m fine,” Aizawa replied, “Now. GO TO BED!!!”

 

“DON’T TELL ME WHAT TO DO SHITTY NERD!!!”

 

Aizawa’s eyes gleamed red and his hair started to levitate. “GO THE FUCK TO BED!!!!” Aizawa grabbed the blonde teen by the back of his shirt and bodily threw him at the stairs. He turned toward the other students. “The same goes for you lot,” he growled.

 

As one, all eighteen teenagers scrambled over each other and made for the stairs leading up to their rooms. Kirishima pausing only to harden his body and haul Bakugou bodily away from their teacher.

 

“Jeez,” All Might laughed nervously once the screaming of the kids and the doors stopped slamming, “And you keep yelling at  _ me _ about being too rough on the kids…”

 

“I’d forgotten how much I kept suppressing the urge to smash that brat’s skull in as a teenager,” Aizawa growled.

  
  


“Oi!!! Shouta~!!!” Nemuri swept into the teacher’s dorm at one in the morning, “Let’s go out and get drunk~!!!”

 

“What the  _ hell _ Nemuri,” Shouta growled, “We’re on  _ campus _ .”

 

“Well, it’s not everyday that we find out one of our colleagues is actually our student, you know?”

 

Shouta snorted inelegantly. 

 

Nemuri leaned in, grinning, “What? Are you worried?”

 

“As if.” 

 

“Then let’s go!” Nemuri grabbed his wrist and hauled him to his feet, “No one will care, Shouta. You’ve been the same grumpy person for the past twenty or so years, and that’s not going to change! Instead, let go and celebrate your life having come back full circle!”

 

Shouta starred at the dark haired heroine in confusion. “I need to finish the grading.”

 

“The grading can wait!”

 

“Toshinori’s not here tonight! I can’t leave the kids unsupervised!”

 

Nemuri’s eyes narrowed. “Since when are you on a first name basis with All Might, hmm?”

 

Shouta’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Always?” he responded, “He was my mentor as a child and when the time-travel happened, he was my guardian… Nemuri, what-”

 

“WHAT?!!!” Nemuri screeched. “ALL MIGHT WAS YOUR GUARDIAN?!!!”

 

“Well, it wasn’t like they could send me to my mother,” Shouta grumbled, “Little me had just been born and my mind was in more pieces than a bag of confetti.”

 

Nemuri paused. She’d known that her friend had not been in the best state when they were younger, and had swung between OK and Not OK and had spent the last ten years teetering on the edge of a breakdown. But had things really been that bad?

 

“Yes, it had been that bad,” Shouta sighed. He smirked at Nemuri’s confused expression, “You were talking out loud.”

 

“Oh…” Nemuri hesitated before smiling wobbily, “All the more reason for us to go out and celebrate then. With the time loop closed, you’re no longer in danger of a paradox, right?”

 

Shouta considered Nemuri carefully, then smiled. “Let me grab a jacket. Kan owes me a favor anyway.”

 

“Alright!” Nemuri screeched, punching the air, “Let’s go get wasted!”

 

\--

 

Finite


	50. Quirkless in Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The police think it's laughable that people think quirkless is useless. The truth is, the majority of quirkless are in the most important industry of all: They're the police officers.

Quirkless AU where the police are well aware of the quirkless = useless line of thought and are befuddled by it bc some of the best police officers are quirkless? Like Heroes deal in flashy villain apprehension and stuff but when it comes to murders and hostage negotiation and kidnappings and tracking robbers after heroes loose track of them, its all police. The police are very important to maintaining order in society, even if people think of them as little more than the clean up crew for heroes. In the end, it is the police who solve crimes, gather evidence that puts criminals behind bars after their trials, etc.   
A lot of quirkless ppl end up in the police force and Naomasa is an old family friend of Inko's and he sometimes babysat by taking izuku to the station  
so izuku learned that quirkless ppl have a place no matter what ppl say and def aren't useless

so we have situations like:

"You're useless jump off a roof!"  
izuku: "But kacchan, suicide baiting is a crime!"  
Butt-o-goat: "Go fuck yourself!"  
Izuku: "That's child porn and that's illegal too!"

And also:

Random hero: So what's your quirk?   
Quirkless Police Officer: The ability of rational deduction   
Random Hero: Hey that's a great quirk! :D   
Quirkless Police officer: thinking It's called common sense you quirk brained nitwit!


	51. Gateway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 15 years in the future, Aizawa, now a full time teacher and retired as a hero, is hit by a quirk on his way to school. When he wakes up, he's surrounded by his family, but whatever the quirk did, it's permanent and being near his once husband, his son, and his daughter causes him physical and mental pain. Desperate to help, Eri, with permission, reverses Aizawa's time until he's a little boy again. But he still suffers pain when in the presence of Hizashi, Eri and Shinsou.
> 
> No one really knows what to do with a deaged Aizawa who shows all the tells of a abused child, except for Izuku. But by adopting Aizawa, he's made a terrible enemy, and so Deku retires and becomes Vermillion, an Underground Hero.

There was something to be said about being the son of an Underground Hero, most would not say loving or happy, not with the sword of damocles hanging over their heads because of the enemies Underground Heroes made. Of course, not many were the child of Vermillion, the number one Underground Hero.

Shouta remembers very little of how he came to be in the care of Vermillion, even less of the life before that, only that he was watching All Might on TV-

((“I am here!!!” All Might declares.

‘No you’re not,’ a little boy thinks, staring at the lit box and hearing the tinny sounds as if from a vast distance.)) 

-And waking to find a strange banana man by his bed, and another man with purple hair and eyebags that had eyebags of their own, a girl with silver hair and red eyes and one horn on her forehead, sobbing when she saw he was awake…

((“No good hero is a one trick pony.”))

((“Are you ready, Mummy-man?!”))

((“You need to rethink your methods before you kill a child!”))

((“I was relieved… Here is a teacher who understands…))

((“If it weren’t for circumstances, all of you would have been expelled…))

((“-got that, Problem child?”))

Screaming, screaming, who was screaming? The girl running out of the room sobbing, the purple man following her. The banana man shouting out the door- people and sounds and doctors coming in and--

Shouta crept down the stairs. Sure enough…

“Sir?”

A head topped with green hair over a face covered in freckles lifted and green eyes locked on his. “Shouta?” Midoriya Izuku rises to his feet gracefully, the capture weapon he had been repairing is set on the coffee table in front of him. “Are you alright?”

“I… I had a strange dream…”

Izuku scoops up his son with ease, and Shouta wraps his arms around surprisingly broad shoulders and tucks his head under Izuku’s chin, hiding his face in the crook of his throat.

“Want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Ok.”

Vermillion is an Underground Hero, a single father caring for a very special boy. Most wouldn’t think this was a household of love and caring, of gentle words or happy moments… But that’s fine. Shouta loves his father, and he knows instinctively that his father loves him back. Where he came from doesn’t matter, because right now? He is here.


	52. Shadows in Their Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for domestic abuse and murder

Inko shields her son as best as she can. She pushes him into closets, cabinets, under the bed, behind the couch. 

 

Her mother’s quirk was Push and Pull, her quirk was Attraction of Small Objects, Her father’s Quirk was Suppression, her brother’s quirk Erasure. Her husband is Fire Breathing. 

 

When Inko met Hizashi, he was kind, always laughing, and he touched her, held her like she was made of glass. She felt as if she was something precious in the circle of his arms.

 

She should have known something was wrong when her parents died in a fire.

 

She didn’t know where her brother was. Shouta had gone into Heroics like he’d said, but he’d vanished after graduation as effectively as if her were a ghost.

 

Inko covers her son’s eyes with a silk scarf, hides him in the wardrobe-he cries, trying to cling to her. They both know that this could be the last time they’ll see each other-Inko sobs, kisses his forehead, gently pries grasping fingers open and steps away. Inko watches as Izuku gropes his way into the back corner and curls into a ball, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs, she closes the door, and when Hisashi comes come in a drunken rage, blocks him with her body.

 

* * *

 

Shouta gently removes the white sheet from the cadaver. Only the tag tied around charred toes tells him that this used to be his sister. Her face is burned beyond recognition. He covers the burnt body with the sheet.

 

He leaves the morgue, goes to the burn unit. There is a boy with his sister’s hair, the curve of her nose, the green of her eyes. 

 

There are shadows in his eyes that never existed in his memories of Inko.

 

He should have come home more.


	53. With this Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hizashi has a secret that he's told no one, not even his best friends...

Hizashi has a secret, one he’s told no one, not even Shouta. He’s moderately sure Nedzu knows it, because Nedzu has ways of knowing things, but being an educator, Nedzu considers the wellbeing of children, “kits” Nedzu sometimes calls them, of absolute importance.

Hizashi’s secret is beautiful and Hizashi falls in love as soon as he laid eyes on the tiny squalling bundle held to the breast of the most beautiful woman on earth. Izuku is tiny and freckled and cute, and Hizashi cannot help but want to scream out his adoration for the whole of the world to hear. But of course he doesn’t. He doesn’t dare.

 

Hizashi has two names, the name he wears in daylight, the name everyone knows. As Present Mic, Hizashi was loud and boisterous. Present Mic is terrible at keeping secrets. At night, Hizashi is a father and husband. Inko, his beautiful and deadly Silver Ermine, and Izuku, his sweet, clever son, together, they three make a home. Hizashi loves his family so much he can hardly breathe.

 

There are dangers associated with being a hero, but they pale in comparison to being a world renowned assassin. Hizashi receives the desperate SOS and runs out of the classroom, leaving behind confused children. He doesn’t respond to the increasingly worried texts and calls from his fellow teachers. He belines straight home. Or at least, to what once was home. Hizashi can only stare as the house collapses in on itself in a conflagration to put Endeavor to shame.

 

“ **_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!_ ** ” Hizashi screams. He doesn’t have the presence of mind to wonder why his quirk does not cause wanton destruction. He only knows his forward momentum has been arrested by an arm like a steel band around his waist. “INKO!!! IZUKU!!!”

 

“Papa!!!!!” a tiny, frightened voice calls.”Papa!” That little voice cuts through Hizashi’s grief more effectively than any knife.

 

“Izuku!” Hizashi twists out of the grasp of-whomever-he ignores the person, all his focus on seeking out that little voice, “Izuku!”

 

Another hand snatches his wrist, and Hizashi, acting entirely on instinct, turns and punches whomever has grabbed him in the face. His leg snaps out, kicking them away from him (he barely registers the female voice shouting at him), and Hizashi races forward toward the flames.

 

“Izuku!” Hizashi shouts, but this time, there is no response. “Izuku!” Nononononono, He’d heard him, just now, he heard him! “Izuku, answer me!” Hizashi was not the kind of man to pray, but pray he would and happily, just please, oh gods,  _ please _ pleasepleaseplease _ please  _ his son, his son, his  _ son, _ where was his  _ son?! _ “Izuku!”

 

“Mic, No!” One of the two Waterhorses throws themselves bodily at him.

 

“Get out of my  **WAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!** ” Hizashi shouts, and plows forward, a man on a mission, set on one goal, finding his son. “Izuku!”

 

“Finally, you appear…”

 

Hizashi stops at the harsh voice. A man steps out of the shadows, leering at him, a small, limp figure held under one arm.

 

“Hisashi.”

 

“How do you like my wedding gift, Hizashi?” as wisp of smoke escapes the other man’s lips as it stretches into a cruel grin.

 

Hizashi can hardly breathe. Izuku. Izuku is… He’s so  _ still. _ He couldn’t be, could’t couldn’t  _ couldn’t _ he was just calling for him just now-

 

“Put the boy down, villain!” Hizashi starts as Vlad King’s voice snarls furiously from behind him. Hizashi glances around him, surprised to see how many of his fellow teachers are arrayed around him. Did… When did… How..?

 

“You had that look on your face,” Shouta steps up to Hizashi’s left, “The look that we see on the faces of parents whose children are in danger. We all followed you, those of us who didn’t have a class to teach at least.”

 

“We’ll talk more about this later,” Nemuri steps forward to flank Hizashi on his right, “Let’s get the little one out of the crossfire first, hmm?”

 

Hizashi turns back toward the villain, the ground steady beneath his feet for the first time since he received the SOS. “Yeah. Let’s do that.”


	54. Bait and Switch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fun thing about being a Support Engineer is that every since piece of equipment in a hero’s arsenal, from the capture tape to the hair band they tie their hair with is considered a piece of support gear.

The fun thing about being a Support Engineer is that every since piece of equipment in a hero’s arsenal, from the capture tape to the hair band they tie their hair with is considered a piece of support gear. Hisashi loves that no one seems to realize how important the support staff is to a hero's ability to do their work. He doesn't care about the fame and recognition. He only cares that by doing what he loves, he can be a hero without ever facing a villain personally.

In another world, Hisashi Midoriya tries to pretend that his family is perfect, that it’s fine the way it is. He divorces his wife so she won’t have to uproot herself and their son to move to I-Island with him, and he sends her child support money every month. He never learns that his son is quirkless, and crows with glee as he watches his precious boy dominate the Yuuei Sports Festival. 

But this is not that world.

Hisashi moves to I-Island with his pregnant wife, and little Izuku is born seven months later, tiny, and squalling and perfect. Hisashi is in love and Inko giggles at his smitten expression as he cradles his tiny, tiny treasure close.

Hisashi thinks Izuku’s obsession with heroes and the analysis he does on their abilities is absolutely adorable and brilliant in turns. His son is so, so clever, and he’s glad he didn’t choose to leave his family behind. There’s no better place to cultivate Izuku’s burgeoning analysis skills than I-Island. Then the diagnosis comes in. Hisashi doesn’t think it’s strange that Izuku is quirkless. Actually, on I-Island, being quirkless is not so uncommon as it would be outside. Inko cries and apologizes constantly, and Hisashi can’t help but wonder why she seems to think Izuku’s quirklessness is the end of the world, but Hisashi keeps on taking Izuku with him to the labs, where Izuku meets a girl in similar straits.

Melissa Shields’ dream to be a hero for heroes by building them the best support gear possible, effectively redirects Izuku’s wish to enter the industry from the actual heroics to support and engineering. Izuku is brilliant-his hero analysis creates some of the most innovative prototypes based on the needs of existing heroes that I-Island has ever seen. Hisashi can see himself being surpassed by his own son long before Izuku reaches forty.

When Izuku is 15, I-Island has its own controversy. David Shield, an old friend off All Might, falls from grace. Melissa Shields is ostracized for her father’s actions but finds a welcome in the Midoriya household. Hisashi laughs as his son and Melissa dance around each other in the awkward manner of infatuated teenagers everywhere. He hopes they’ll stay together, the two challenge each other and build off the other. He can see them becoming an incredible team together.

Outside I-Island, time ticks away for the heroes. The League of Villains rises as a power to rival All Might. A Hero Killer Stalks the streets of Hosu. Yuuei’s newest generation of heroes in training taste the terror of real villains before the first month of school is even over. All Might retires after the Tragedy of Kamino Ward after expending the last of his strength to save a Yuuei Student.

Outside, the future without All Might looms, dark and frightening, but on I-Island, life continues.

Hisashi watches his son grow as a person and a Support Engineer with pride.


	55. Arc de Triomphe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time-travel. Why is it always time-travel?

His costume was redesigned once again when he became Vermillion. All his decorative bits were removed so there was nothing that could catch the light. Nothing that would stand out in the memory. Izuku could not afford for his mother to be put at risk, and especially he could not afford to put Shouta at risk. He glanced across the room at the boy who was seated in front of the large television, soaking in a documentary about the career of All Might, endorsed by and containing interviews from the real All Might.

It was… surreal… to say the least.

How this had gotten to this point was, once all the emotional baggage got cut out, fairly simple. Upon discovering that the quirk Eraserhead had been hit with was permanent, an idea was floated, not only to the doctors caring for the hero, but to his nearest and dearest. Perhaps Eri could reverse his time, just a little bit, to before the quirk hit. Yes, they would lose whatever evidence Eraserhead had come across, but the police were perfectly willing to give up that avenue of investigation. They had plenty of physical forensic evidence to put the criminal behind bars without a hero’s testimony after all.

It all went wrong almost immediately. The villain’s quirk, Pavlov, meant that Eraserhead was in pain when he was near his family. His husband, his son, his daughter-yes and even his old homeroom teacher. It was, based on recorded reaction, a constant, debilitating pain-not concentrated in any one spot. Eri, frightened by the sudden movement of the man who had taken her in, raised her, loved her like a father, someone who had promised that he’d never hurt her, would never let her come to harm, in terror and denial that her father figure would go so far as to murder the people he loved to make the pain stop, lost control of her quirk.

The result…

Eri survived. Shinso survived, barely ((He’d never be a hero again though, his spine broken and paralyzed from the shoulders down as he was.. He’d never be anything at all)). Hizashi however, did not. Throwing himself between Eri and Shouta had cost him his life. Izuku paid for a specialist to come in and erase or suppress any memories Shouta might still have to spare him the pain.

But what was left was a six year old boy who had been severely abused because of his quirk. Malnourished and harbouring a resentment toward people at large. No one could get close.

But like recognizes like, right? And Izuku was able to get close, Izuku was able to understand. He had been bullied and neglected for his lack of a quirk, and he’d been fortunate to have a loving mother despite it. Shouta didn’t even have that. Izuku’s heart went out to his once teacher, who was now a small child, who, as far as he knew, had woken up in a hospital decades into the future, not as a man grown, but as a child with no memory of intervening years.

In a mirror of what Shouta had done for Eri, Izuku had made it his job to care for his once teacher, to protect him from the enemies who wished him ill…

It was hard. Very hard. 

But Izuku did it anyway.

\---

“I can’t believe this,” Izuku hissed furiously as he dodged blade swipes and blasts of water, “What the hell?! Watch it!” he barked, “I’m carrying a child here!”

“All the more reason to kill you while you’re weighted down!” one of the villains cackled.

“Father?”

“Keep your head down, kiddo,” Izuku said, his grip tightening around his armful of child, “And hold your breath!”

Shouta squeezed his eyes shut, burying his face in his father’s shoulder and held his breath as a wall of water crashed down on them.

\---

There was a network of fountains installed in one of Yuuei’s common dorm gardens and quickly became prime real estate among the students. Being Yuuei, the fountains were ridiculously large, and the students were not above making use of the fountains like wading pools.

And then suddenly, the fountains spat out three people.

Aizawa recognized one immediately; the grown form of the Problem Child in a costume of muted dark green with no embellishment, face twisted in plastic smile that was more of a snarl, rolled to his feet, crouched protectively over the dark haired child he held to his chest.

“Ah,” the villain-Aizawa thought he was a villain, looked spooked, “This is not what I was expecting….”

“Explain yourself, Overflow,” Midoriya snarled, “And maybe I won’t beat you black and blue.”

The child’s hands twitched. “Father.”

“Hush, Shouta.”

Aizawa’s eyes widened. Did he… 

“Looks like your problem child named his kid after you,” Mic murmured in his ear.

Aizawa elbowed his husband in the gut. “Shut!” he hissed.

\---

Green eyes darted toward them and Izuku lowered his head so he could speak into Shouta’s ear, “look out the corner of your eye to the left.”

A pair dark eyes flicked toward the side in the direction of two men. “Anything?” Midoriya breathed.

A head of dark hair shook in negative.

“Good. I will put you down. Run toward them.”

“Father?”

“They are heroes.”

“Yes sir.”

Izuku sent a silent prayer to All Might’s Predecessor that it would be Mic, and not Aizawa who would grab Shouta--He didn’t want to think of what kind of paradox would happen if Aizawa grabbed his younger self--And tossed his son away from him as he lunged toward Overflow. One for All burned through his veins as Izuku powered up in the way he hadn’t done in the past three years since gaining custody of Shouta.

Also, no one from his school days needed to know that Deku was no longer an aboveground hero; not so soon at least. He punched forward with One for All, the shockwave blasting away the wave of water Overflow sent at him.He’s aware, as the water is blasted away, of Shouta, quirk active, staring hard at Aizawa-sensei.

\---

Hizashi has the longer legs, so he made it to the kid before Shouta does. Part of it is because Shouta has hung back, waiting for a good time to step in and erase the villain’s quirk. Ever the protective teacher, Hizashi thinks as he scoops up Midoriya’s kid.

Up close, the boy looks familiar. From the messy dark hair to the red eyes, Hizashi is strongly reminded somehow of Shouta, his Shouta….

“Shouta!” Midoriya barked over the roar of water, “Blink!”

The child obediently blinked and Hizashi realizes with a jolt as the fluffy hair settles and red eyes turns dark--This is Shouta’s son. For Midoriya to be called father in Shouta’s place--Shouta, Hizashi, even Little Eri and Shinso; they all must not have--Just what kind of future had their student come from?

\---

Aizawa Shouta is barely aware of the breath rushing through his lungs. He has his eyes fixed on the boy that the Problem Child has brought with him, and he knows the shape of that face, the way the hair shifts. He’d seen it for years in the mirror.

His future self, deaged, calls Midoriya ‘Father’. What’s gone wrong? What went wrong?


	56. Paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We All Knew that this day would come....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GODDAMN YOU QUINT!!!! I BLAME YOU FOR THISSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!
> 
> TTATT

 

The cemetery was filled with people, the crowd so large that the mourners spilled out the gates and into the street. Men and women alike wept and wailed unashamedly in the their grief. A great man had died.

\--

 

On the other side of the country, in a different cemetery, a different, smaller crowd was gathered. Seven generations of former students had gathered along with close friends. No family. Slowly, as the funeral ended, the crowd drifted apart.

 

A little ways away, Katsuki Bakugou paused. In front of him, Aizawa-sensei, with streaks of grey in his dark hair, was talking to Mic-sensei, a little further down, Iida and Todoroki, all speaking in hushed whispers.

 

_ I knew this day would come eventually… _

 

He turned slowly, taking in the expanse of the cemetery, Yuuei Hero Cemetery, the most closely guarded secret of all of the school’s alumnus. The true final resting place of all of Yuuei’s graduated Heroes. The sky rumbled as the rain came down harder.

 

_  But still… I’m glad it was raining…  _

 

It had never struck Katsuki until today, just how incredible it was that All Might had lived for as long as he had. All around them, the graves in this plot, all forty of them, were filled at last. In the next plot over, there were no empty spaces. And so too the next plot of land, and the next. It wasn’t until they started coming to Endeavor’s generation that there started to be empty graves, but even then, most of them were filled. Even down to the plot where the school had prepared forty graves for their generation, there was a handful of graves already. 

 

Toohru. Mineta. Ashido. Kaminari. Kendo. Monoma.

 

_ I’m glad it was raining…  _

 

Heroes didn’t live very long. They were fortunate to last ten years. Twenty if they were like Present Mic or went into teaching like Eraserhead and Midnight.

 

Red eyes settled on one lone form, hair plastered against his skull from the rain. Katsuki was sure that the reason why Izuku had not brought an umbrella was because the rain hid his tears.

 

Not that anyone would have blamed him...

 

_ at All Might’s funeral…. _

 

The worst kept secret in their industry was that All Might had outlived his teachers, outlived his classmates, outlived his peers, his juniors, his sidekicks… He’d out lived some of his students too…

 

In All Might’s family, Izuku was all he had left, the closest the man had to a son…

 

The closest Izuku had to a father…

 

Heroics was hard and full of sacrifice.

 

But at least, if nothing else, All Might was now at peace. After three quarters of a century fighting, All Might could finally rest.

 

Katsuki hoped his friend would realize it.


	57. Grimm Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even the kindest people have their limits. Beware of when those limits are crossed.

“How about you jump off a roof and pray for a quirk in the next life!”

Something in Izuku snapped. “No. How about you die and pray to be less of an asshole in the next life?”

\--- 

It was the strangest thing. Authorities could not understand how three boys could fall down the same set of stairs at the same time. Were they pushed? The only witness was a quirkless boy who was too traumatized by what he’d seen to speak. 

No one suspected that he might have been the one to kill his classmates. For one, he was quirkless. For another thing, all of his classmates and teachers agreed, the boy was weak. He was not athletic at all. There was no way he could have killed anyone.

Hidden in the shadows, dead green eyes blinked slowly and his lips spread in a cold, mad smile as the shrewish woman who called him no better than a quirkless whore deserving of death drowned in her own blood, her eyes panicked as she watched him pull the evidence of wrongdoing from its hiding place under the tatami mats and hid them badly under sofa cushions and in bookshelves.

\---

A string of murders began happening. Suicide rates in the area skyrocketed. Police were baffled. Residents are terrified.

Midoriya Inko suddenly vanishes.

Izuku stinks of blood.


	58. All Might Long

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> teehee

It had been a very long day. Lots of small fires to put out and the odd gunman--Why was the US so lax regarding their dangerous weapons anyway? You’d think quirks were a dangerous enough weapon, so why add guns to the mix?--and Toshinori was exhausted. But he couldn’t sleep yet, oh no. David was punishing him for making them late for class--again!--and Toshinori found himself dozing off in Dave’s lab while getting fitted for a new set of support gear.

Toshinori did his best to stay awake, turning around and adjusting his posture as needed. At the moment, he was in the T-pose and Dave was fitting something on his torso.

“Oi, Toshi,” a hand slapped the bare skin of his shoulders, and Toshinori jerked back to awareness as Dave glowered at him, “Stand up straight, man! Geez, You know better than to slouch at a time like this!”

“Hahaha, sorry about that, Dave!”

David Shield grumbled as he got work to fiddling with… something. There was a quiet rustling. He paused. And then Toshinori’s bulk crashed down on top of him.

“Toshi?!”

David wriggled out from under his friend’s body, “Toshi!”

What had happened?! Had one of the criminals from earlier shot him with a poison that was only now making itself known?! Why hadn’t the idiot told him he wasn’t feeling well?!

A soft, whistling snore drifted from Toshinori’s mouth.

Dave froze, staring incredulously.

Another snore, louder this time, issued from the blonde’s mouth.

“Goddammit, Toshi! Don’t fall asleep in my lab!!!”


	59. Fallen Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heroics is a profession that calls for sacrifice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Major Character Death, Angst

“I think we should get a divorce.”

 

“WHAAAAAAAT?!!!!” Hizashi screamed.

 

“A Divorce, you half assed cockatoo,” Shouta said coldly, “Because you know, this isn’t working out. We’re not working out.”

 

“Sh-Shouta!!! Why?!”

 

“Didn’t I just say things weren’t working out?” Shouta set down his cup of tea. “To be honest, things haven’t been working out between us for a long time. This is only the logical next step.”

 

“B-b-buh-but Shouta! Why?!”

 

Shouta stood up from the couch. “I can’t live like this,” he muttered, “I can’t.”

 

“Shouta…” Hizashi’s voice cracked and he reached toward Shouta’s wrists to stop him, to pull him back, anything, “Babe, if I did something…”

 

“Don’t touch me,” Shouta growled, and Hizashi recoiled, hurt and heartbreak swimming in his gut as green eyes stared up at his husband of ten years. Shouta inhaled slowly. “I’m sorry, Hizashi. But this isn’t working. I’ve already prepared the paperwork. You just need to stamp it.”

 

“I-If I refuse?”

 

“I leave anyway.”

 

“Sh-Shou-Babe...Please don’t do this….”

 

Dark eyes were steeley, “Is that your final decision?”

 

Hizashi lunged to his feet, “Don’t do this, Shouta, please! We can work things out, let’s talk it over!”

 

“There’s nothing to talk about. We aren’t working out. We haven’t worked for a while. Breaking it off is the next logical step.”

 

“Shouta, please,” Hizashi begged, “Let’s talk about this. What about Shinsou? What about Eri?!”

 

Shouta glared, “Shut up and sign the goddamned papers.”

 

Hizashi felt like he was drowning as he stamped the papers with his seal. Each stamp broke his heart just a little bit more. As if slivers of his heart was being sliced off as even as he severed another part of the bond he’d thought was unbreakable. The final stamp, and Hizashi slumped in his seat, he couldn’t stop crying, he couldn’t breathe

 

Then it was over.

 

The door slammed. 

 

Hizashi was alone.

 

What was he going to tell the kids?

 

* * *

 

A few weeks later, the Hero grapevine exploded with the news: A hard drive containing a list of Underground Heroes had gone missing, and the heroes on the list had been assassinated one by one alone with any family they might have been with.

 

A five man team of Underground Heroes, Orchid Mantis, Fire Breathing Dragon, Swallowtail , Nekomata, and Eraserhead had gone out and retrieved the harddrive and destroyed all copies of the information they could find…

 

Eraserhead had made it back to the Hero Association Headquarters with the stolen information around 3:00AM on July 1 But died before he ever made it into the operating rooms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _It was the evening, and one of those rare nights where Hizashi patrolled the city instead of patrolling during the day._
> 
> _Shouta knelt in front of his children, holding them both close as Eri sobbed into his chest._
> 
> _Shinsou's face was closed off even as tears streamed down his face._
> 
> _"I promise you," Shouta whispered, "If I survive, no matter what, I'll come back for you. I can't guarantee I will come back, but if I do, I won't leave either of you alone."_
> 
> _"Dad," Shinsou croaked, "You gotta come back. You gotta!"_
> 
> _"I'll try. I promise, I'll try."_


	60. Chances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every action has consequences. Small Towns seem to forget that.
> 
> KHR-crossover

Inko holds her half sister close as Nana sobs into her shoulder. Beside her, Izuku’s tiny hands are fisted in the fabric of her suit trousers, green eyes wide as he watches as the tiny coffin is lowered into the ground. Inko can’t help but think of the thousand casual cruelties that got thrown at Izuku every day, from the thoughtless brushing off of his opinions and suggestions because why would a quirkless matter? As if being quirkless suddenly made him lesser. With the way the Quirk laws were set, why did quirks really matter? What use is a quirk when the average person was barred from using it in most social contexts? 

 

Inko wishes she had insisted more heavily that Nana move out of Namimori when Tsunayoshi had been diagnosed as quirkless. They both had known that a small town like Namimori would not be kind to anyone who stood out. They would be especially unkind to women like Nana who was a dreamer and a single mother to boot. Well. Nana was technically married but with a foreign husband who seemed to value work more than he did being a husband and father, Nana was as good as single.

 

At least Inko’s husband came home every now and again. Izuku knew his father existed, talked on a censored skype with him, could call his father and know that the man would drop everything - even the cases he was working on - for his son if needed. Tsuna hadn’t even had that. Was it any wonder that under constant bullying with no support, not even from, god help her, not even from his own mother--Inko wondered who thought it was a good idea to let Nana be alone in her mind-- what kind of husband-- 

 

Inko wished fervently that she had pushed harder for Nana and Tsuna move to Musutafu. Maybe then, Tsuna would still be alive!

 

\---

 

Late that night, long after Nana had cried herself to sleep in the guestroom, and Izuku had been tucked into bed, there was the sound of a key in the lock. Inko looked up from her work at the kitchen table, and was on her feet immediately, her hand groping under the table for one of the knives hidden there. There weren’t many people who had the key to the apartment, but better safe than sorry.

 

There was the sound of the door opening, and a familiar, much loved voice called out, “Inko?”

 

Inko’s shoulders drooped as the tension drained out of her limbs. “Here, Osamu.”

 

A tall, thin man strode into the kitchen, the dim light slowly illuminating a charcoal suit and green hair. The man looked weary but his eyes were warm when they studied her from behind square shaped spectacles.

 

Inko slid the knife back into it’s sheath in its place under the table. “Osamu…”

 

“I came as soon as I heard,” Osamu said quietly as he embraced his wife. “I’m sorry to hear about Tsunayoshi.”

 

“Osamu…” Inko sobbed, “They bullied him for his quirklessness until he killed himself. Nana… Nana kept telling him that she didn’t care if he was useless as long as he was happy... And I still can’t reach Iemitsu….”

 

“And neither will you be able to,” Osamu growled angrily, “Inko, you said last time that much of what Iemitsu said made no sense, so I looked into it. Sawada Iemitsu is no construction worker. He is a high ranked member of the Italian Mafia. A  _ villain _ .”

 

Inko gasped. “No!”

 

Osamu’s face was grim. “Sad as it is, it’s better this way. Someone has been targeting Mafia Heirs, no matter how far or close to the succession. At least dead, Tsunayoshi can’t be dragged into villainy. If he was as gentle as you said, the Mafia would eat him alive.”

 

There was a sudden creak of a door opening. Osamu and Inko tensed.

 

“Mama?” Izuku shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes, “Who’re’y’talkin’to?”

 

Inko huffed as Osamu chuckled, “No hiding it now,” he breathed into her hair.

 

Inko plastered on her brightest smile and turned to her son, “Oh, Izuku! Your Papa’s home!”

 

Izuku finally looked up and green eyes widened in wonder. “You-you’re Sir Nighteye!”

 

Osamu chuckled, “Yes, Izuku, I’m Sir Nighteye. Will you come give Papa a hug? I’m glad to be able to see you in person, finally.”

 

The voice sunk in and Izuku ran across the room, colliding with his parent’s legs. “This is so awesome!” he babbled, “Papa is Sir Nighteye! Do you really work with All Might?! Is he as big as people say? How does is hair stay up? Papa, can you really sit on his shoulder?!”

 

Inko laughed wetly as Osamu let go of her to kneel in front of Izuku and put his hands on his shoulders. There was going to be trouble from Nana’s association with a villain in the future, but for now, her family was together.

 

She had to look on the brightside.

 

They could deal with the fall out from Nana’s bad decisions later.


	61. Changling Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Diagnosis breaks something inside of Inko

Inko stared at the sleeping form of her son. Her precious treasure. Quirkless? It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t. Not her precious baby, the only good thing that had ever happened to her. But the doctors knew more on the topic than she did, she was just a housewife. But it couldn’t be true right? Her baby… No… She knew the truth… This monster had stolen her baby from her and was trying to pass itself off as her baby. She needed to get Izuku back. She needed to get her baby back! Her hands wrapped around the little beast’s neck and she squeezed. Green eyes shot open.

“Give him back!” She whispered, “Give my baby back, you quirkless monster! Give him back!”

“Ma...ma…” The beast croaked.

“Give me my baby back!” Inko shrieked lifting the monster up the the throat and slamming it’s head against the headboard, “GIVE HIM BACK!”

Blood splattered across the wall as Inko slammed the monster’s head against the headboard. 

“GIVE IZUKU BACK TO ME YOU MONSTER!!!!!!!”


	62. Sky Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aizawa Finally manages to get the Problem Child to talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of [Arc de Triomphe](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14979236/chapters/42065015)  
> and [Gateway](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14979236/chapters/41848880)

To Overflow’s credit, the villain recognizes the fighting style almost immediately. He gives up just as quickly, because frankly, only a complete idiot goes up against Deku and expects to get out intact. Pretty much the same reactions most criminals had when faced with All Might were reflected in how they treated Deku. It had nothing to do with the fact that All Might and Deku had weekly breakfasts at a cafe in front of Yuuei since Deku’s debut. Overflow, as the cuff are put on his wrists, thinks about the boy that Deku was carrying when he arrived, and realizes he’s hit upon a weak spot. A way to bring down All Might’s famous Successor. His son…

 

\---

 

Izuku was wet and miserable and very much appreciated All Might’s staggeringly yellow suit jacket because it was a goddamn blanket that he practically drowned in and it was very very warm. Even better, his mentor’s tendency to wear oversized clothes in order to accommodate his Muscle Form when he transformed also made it possible for Izuku to carry Shouta with him, tucking the boy into the folds of the massive jacket.

 

Izuku needed only make eye contact with Aizawa for one moment to recognize that his former teacher knew what was up-that the man knew exactly who his ward was. It was not a discussion he was ready to have with anyone. So Izuku instead ran to All Might as if he were still a teenager, hiding behind his mentor as if his star had not broken top twenty before he left the spotlight for the Underground to hide and protect his deaged teacher.

 

Toshinori gives him a knowing look, but doesn’t scold him. Izuku suspects that not even All Might would want to be in his shoes right now. Facing down Aizawa Shouta determined to get answers out of you is  _ scary _ . Had been, even years after graduation. 

 

\---

 

Nedzu listened patiently to Midoriya’s explanation, paws folded in his lap. The principal’s expression grows darker and darker as the story progresses, and Izuku would not be surprised at all to learn that the principal would be looking for the villain whose quirk started this entire mess. When Izuku leaves the Principal’s office, it is with Shouta clasped in his arms and through a window. He knows his former teacher well enough that he can pick the man out by his breathing-lying in wait behind Nedzu’s door.

 

Izuku has no desire to open up this particular can of worms. He’s definitely not going to explain to his teacher how he came to be taking care of his de-aged, amnesiac self and what happened to his family. The thought of telling Aizawa Shouta that he’d killed his husband and crippled his son while under the influence of a quirk… Nope. Not it. Never.

 

\---

 

Izuku should have known there was no escaping Aizawa Shouta. He had left Shouta with Ectoplasm, who had offered to care for the little one, and Ectoplasm’s children should be around the right age at this time, huh?

 

It might seem counterintuitive for one of the more open minded heroes to only allow his child to play with Legacies, but the pact was, Legacy households tended to be better protected. Non-Legacy Civilians could argue favoritism all they wanted, but every hero knew that Underground was not safe. Underground heroes made enemies of men who made All For One look like a fluffy kitten, and not one hero would knowingly put a child in a situation where he could be targeted by an enemy. Thus it was only logical that Shouta stay with Legacies, play with Legacy children, be raised in an environment surrounded by heroes. Izuku could be sure that Eraserhead’s enemies wouldn’t have easy access to Shouta if he was at a Legacy’s home, playing with Legacy children.

 

Of course, not having a child to worry about also made him more open to confrontation from his teacher. Hence Izuku pouring a cup of tea for his former teacher.

 

“Yamada-sensei is not with you today,” Izuku said as he took a seat across from Aizawa.

 

“No, he has a class to teach,” Aizawa studied his student, “Do I want to know what kind of future is waiting for us?”

 

Izuku grimaced. Aizawa lowered his eyes, “I thought so. How many of you are still alive?”

 

Izuku said quietly, “Mineta died at 19, caught in a shootout between the criminals and the police. Hagakure is missing, presumed dead; 21. Aoyama is missing, presumed dead, 22. Sero, 22, crushed under a falling bridged. Ashido is dead, 23, stabbing. Koda, 24, missing, presumed dead.  Ojirou is dead, 24, ten gunshot wounds and a crushed skull. Yaoyorozu retired at 24 to take over her father’s company. Sato is working emergencies only, with a day job in his family’s bakery. Kaminari is working emergencies only, with a day job as an electrician.” He paused, “Shinso lasted two years underground before an out of control quirk paralyzed him from the neck down.”

 

Aizawa’s lips were pressed into a thin line and his hands shook. “Half the class. A higher number than average,” he said softly. “I should be happy that so many of you are alright.”

 

Izuku said softly, “That our class was closer to your heart than others was the worst kept secret in the industry, Sensei. If you beat yourself up for any of it, Shinso and Eri will cry.”

 

“You say that as if they don’t cry already,” Aizawa retorted, “with me in your custody instead of theirs.”

 

“It’s better this way,” Izuku said grimly, “for your sake and theirs.”

 

“And Hizashi?”

 

Izuku’s eyes slid away from Aizawa’s, “Present Mic was killed in the line of duty when he defended a child from the effects of an out of control quirk.” He added quickly as Aizawa’s knuckles turned white, “My condolences, Sensei.”

 

“Don’t,” Aizawa’s voice was choked, “He’s not dead yet.”

 

Izuku looked down, “No, he’s not dead yet,” he agreed.

 

\---

 

Shouta was in hero heaven. He didn’t know why it hurt to be near certain heroes in the older generation, his guardian always kept him away from them, and now, he could be near them. He could just go up to them and ask all the questions he wanted, and it didn’t hurt! Before, he’d write down all of his questions, and his guardian would go and ask or he’d answer based on his own experiences with the heroes, but now Shouta could just ask directly!


	63. A Shot in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku's world comes crashing down.
> 
> Fortunately, Yuuei takes care of it's own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Expansion on [Shot in the Dark](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13808427/chapters/32559198)

#  >>A Shot In the Dark

 

Izuku goes home to find Inko and a strange man dead in his home. Later he learns that the man was Midoriya Hisashi, his father. There is a clause in Yuuei’s admissions paperwork that parents sign, so that if anything happens to the parents, the student will become the school’s ward. But of course, There’s All Might who is on paper as Izuku’s mentor.

 

\--

 

There are reporters in front of the school again. Of course there are. Aizawa glares at them from the windows of the faculty lounge. He’d never have dared if the windows had not been treated to allow people inside to see out but people outside to not be able to see in.

 

“What’s up, Shouta?” Hizashi strode up next to him and glanced down to see what had his old friend making such a face. His normally easy going features twisted, “Ah. Those vultures.”

 

“A child has just been orphaned,” Aizawa hissed, “And all they can think is, ‘How can we twist this for a story?’ Two people are dead and they don’t even care.”

 

“That’s how the media are,” Hizashi shrugged, “Don’t dwell on it. All Might is dealing with it.”

 

“For once, that muscle bound oaf is good for something.”

 

\--

 

Izuku is seated on his bed, his eyes fixed on the surface of his desk. Beside his hand is a tray of food, long gone cold. 

 

How was it possible that everything still seemed…. 

 

Why was….

 

It wasn’t….

 

_ ‘Mom…’ _

 

_ “I’m sorry, Izuku, I’m so sorry!” _

 

That wasn’t it… That wasn’t the--

 

A chasm had opened in him, the darkness yawning in his chest, threatening to consume him whole. 

 

If it would stop the pain…

 

Izuku fell willingly enough.

 

\---

 

“He’s not eating,” Lunch Rush said quietly.

 

“Grief tends to hurt the appetite,” Aizawa said equally quietly as he watched his student pick at the food.

 

“It’s not healthy!” 

 

Aizawa watched as All Might sat down next to the child, one large hand placed on the boy’s head as he leaned in, speaking quietly.

 

“What’s he saying?” Lunch Rush asked.

 

“Eat. A little.” Hounddog whined, “A few bites. Will take to I-Island. During break. Must eat.”

 

Sure enough, miracle of miracles, the boy ate. Not more than few mouthfuls, but he ate.

 

“Trust All Might to get his favorite to cooperate,” Lunch Rush sighed.

 

\---

 

Izuku was barely aware of the world outside the dormitories. These four white walls were his world now. And his teachers. Different ones came in on different days, though the only consistency was Aizawa and All Might. Izuku understood. His mom and dad were both dead. And a part of his enrollment had included the understanding that if anything happened to his mother, that his teachers would be responsible for him.

 

Izuku wanted his mother.

 

_ He reaches for his mother and his hands jerk back when he feels his fingers slide into her body. She’s lying in a pool of blood. He barely notices that he’s kneeling in his mother’s blood. _

 

He’s never met his father but now he never will.   
  
_ There is a strange man in the apartment, lying face down in a pool of blood… _

 

There is a knock on the door. “Midoriya?” Aizawa’s voice called. “It’s time for dinner.”

 

“Yes sir,” the words come to his lips easily. It’s practically a habit now. Izuku leaves his room in a daze, following behind his teacher.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Discord Here: https://discord.gg/nm4b8V4
> 
> I can be found on Dreamwidth as [HawkEyesPrime](https://hawkeyesprime.dreamwidth.org/profile)
> 
> I can also be found on Tumblr as [TLDWC](https://thelittledekuwhocould.tumblr.com/) and [TNVMana](http://alovelyocean.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Feel free to come yell at me and offer me prompts and ideas!


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